The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times.) FRIDAY, JANUARY 25th, 1924. ENGLAND AND FRANCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 January 1924, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times.) FRIDAY, JANUARY 25th, 1924. ENGLAND AND FRANCE.

There is much evidence that the relations between England and France are iar front being cordial. On the contrary they appear to be in it very delicate state, and unless the Statesmen are particularly careful, hostilities may easily eventuate. Speaking in the House of Commons, .Mr J. IT. Thomas, the well-known Labour member, stated that- “a situation was being created in Central Europe necessitating expenditure in our own defence. It was asked how was I.alkhir going to deal with France, and the implication •suggested that it would he near. But it was not real friendship to pretend that all was well when it was not. If vo believed that Franco was heading towards disaster, we ought to say so. (Sod forbid that any word of his should be construed as meaning that Labour was anxious to break with France or talk about war.” The differences be tween England and France rests on the Treaty of Versailles which created conditions calculated to destroy, and which have in effect temporarily destroyed the purchasing power of Germany which was one of England’s lest customers. It imposed an enormous war indemnity upon Germany which she could only meet bv a vast increase of her exports over imports, and to do this, Germany must flood all the markets of the world with German goods produced at a prieo and under labour conditions with which it would be impossible for British, American or French manufacturers to compete. France has been making use of tlie expressions “Reparations”, and “Security”. France has been defrauding her creditors and building up a militarism that can have but one motive for its existence, and that is to dominate Europe. The French active army consists to-day of just under 800,000 men, with two and a half to three million fully equipped reserves. One fourth of this active army, including 40.000 coloured troops, is now encamped far beyond the French frontier. on the Rhine, in the Saar, and in the Ruhr, and threatens to extend itselt still further over non-French areas in Europe. It is equipped with what is understood to lie the finest artillery in the world. It is reinforced hv a fleet of war planes admittedly larger than all the other European States put together, and by a powerful feet of submarines. The States of the l-ittle Entente and of Poland, are being assisted by French instructors and French finance to equip and organise considerable fighting forces. French military missions are permanently flt-

tacked to the stall's of these new irmies. To suggest that these, gigantic French preparations are solely concerned with possible danger from Germany, i". nbsuid.