War Guilt Encore

Events national and international impinged significantly during the past fortnight upon Premier Raymond Poincare. He who stepped from the Olympian security of a onetime (1913-1920) Presidency of France to assume a thankless Premiership and save the franc (TIME, Aug. 2), became once again a nucleus for strife, a target for criticism.

Briand returns. A too idyllic calm marked the Cabinet session at which Foreign Minister Briand reported upon his tentative negotiations with Foreign Minister Stresemann of the Reich at Thoiry (TIME, Sept. 27). M. Briand, apostle of international concord, secured from M. Poincare, exponent of militant French nationalism, acceptance in principle of the proposed Franco-German compromise: 1) France to evacuate the Rhineland in 1927, return the Saar to Germany in 1928, and withdraw all opposition to the purchase by Germany from Belgium of Eupen and Malmedy; 2) Germany to transfer to France for these concessions four billion francs ($100,000,000) to be realized by the sale to private investors of German railroad securities.

Since this plan seemed to offer France her great desideratum -- ready cash for stabilizing the franc -- Premier Poincare stomached his hostility and distrust toward Germany. While a multitude of technical details remained to be negotiated, acceptance by France of Thoiry seemed assured. Acceptance by Germany was deemed a foregone conclusion and followed a few days later. Peace hovered.

"Gambrinus Bierabend." It was necessary for Foreign Minister Stresemann of Germany to conciliate the German Nationalists if they were to agree to pay France what they described as "the bribe of Thoiry." Perhaps the cleverest diplomat in Europe, he participated at a farewell "bierabend" tendered him by the German colony at Geneva, before he returned from Thoiry to Berlin. Surrounded by convivial friends -- devotees of Gambrinus, the legendary inventor of beer--Gustav Stresemann purposely became "indiscreet." ; He "talked a bit." He exulted at the forthcoming liberation of the Rhineland. He cried that the stain of War guilt had been wiped from Germany by her admission into the League (TIME, Sept. 20). Thus he won a measure of approbation from German Nationalists.

"Sunday Speech." If Germany has been wiped clean of War guilt, what states are War guilty? French Nationalists saw in the "bierabend speech" of Herr Stresemann an implied casting of War guilt on France. Moreover Premier Poincare himself has been accused of being the chief author of the World War by revisionist historians. Would he stomach "Gambrinus" Stresemann's indiscretions? When M. Poincare announced that he would make one of his famed "Sunday speeches" at Bar-le-Duc, French Nationalist newsgatherers scurried thither, prepared to hear him tear the compromise of Thoiry to tatters.

His white beard bristling, M. Poincare cried: "No nation wishes peace more sincerely than France. No nation less sought war. The Government of the Republic did everything humanly possible to avoid it."

As the Premier paused for breath ears strained for the expected denunciation of Germany as War guilty. It did not come. M. Poincare, the militarist who sent French bayonets to occupy the Saar, is now, it seems, preoccupied with saving the franc. Having affirmed his War innocence, Premier Poincare was content to change the subject:

"As for her foreign debts, France has never repudiated them. She has already paid important sums for interest. . . . She had decided in future to acquit herself loyally to the extent of her capacity and to limits of the possibilities of transfer."

Correspondents who had come to hear the doom of Thoiry, went away declaring that Premier Poincare would attempt to secure passage for the Franco-U. S. debt pact when the French Chamber reas- sembles next month but would seek to make the ratification conditional on a transfer safeguard clause being conceded by the U. S.

Argumentative Murder. At Germersheim in the Rhineland a group of German civilians were drawn into a brawl with French officers as a result of the revival of War guilt talk last week. One Lieutenant Roucier. shot and killed one Herr Emil Mueller by way of thrusting home the assertion that Raymond Poincare did not start the World War. . . .

The Mayor of Germersheim promptly appealed to the League of Nations, demanded that all French troops be withdrawn from his town, lest further citizens be shot. After a day of excitement, the incident lapsed into insignificance. Vain Appeal. Premier Poincare, in no complacent mood after the events of the week, was approached by a delegation representing 4,000 onetime Government employes who have been dismissed in the interest of national economy. Two hundred of the jobless are former mayors, 600 were employed by the Ministry of Justice, 2,200 were dismissed from the department presided over by Premier Poincare himself--the Ministry of Finance. To threats from these disgruntled onetime officials that they would appeal for reinstatement to the Chamber, M. Poincare replied with a snap of his jaws: "Apply then! As soon as the Chamber reassembles the Government will put the question of confidence on its acts of economy."