"TOMORROW"

"Tomorrow will be the decisive day of the conference," said Premier Briand, at the close of the last session of the Supreme Council on the German indemnity question. But we wonder--it has been "tomorrow" for so long.

France's withdrawal of her extreme demands for German reparations has marked another victory, not for either of the two nations most concerned, but for England. Premier Briand has evidently discovered, as did Leygues before him, that it is "that indomitable little Welshman," Lloyd George, who holds the reins. The English Premier has digested the warlike spleen of three French cabinets, and seems to be thriving on the diet. The French people, with all their elections, are powerless.

That such a condition exists is sufficiently conductive to discord: the uses to which that conditions is being put to make matters even worse. With France unable to object, England is softening the German peace conditions, lowering the Indemnity, and getting possession of the German trade. Theoretically, of course, it would be unwise to burden Germany with too heavy a debt, for fear of an insolvency that might affect the whole of Europe; but inactuality, Germany is in no worse a state than France. There would be far more reason for England to assist her ally in recuperating in some measure from the effects of an invasion, rather than to take up the argument infavor of a country which is still at fault, in order to follow an unconquerable penchant for trade.

It is needless to state that Great Britain took a noble part in the war. Her actions of the past six months have, however, done much to supplant nobility with selfishness, and to jeopardize the respect of her allies and the friendship of France. Even the fact that Lloyd George has earned the title of "Foreign Minister" to the republic would not be so deplorable did he not misuse his power. There are better things in this world than the acquisition of foreign markets--and the close alliance of nations is one of them. "Tomorrow" is England's chance, perhaps her last chance, to withdraw gracefully from her attitude of the past. At present she is but laying for herself the foundations of future suspicion and distrust.