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THE WELSH OUTLOOK The Editor does not necessarily identify himself with the opinions of contributors to The Welsh Outlook." Editorial responsibility is limited to the views expressed in the Notes of the Month," and in the unsigned article immediately following. Anglo-French Relations. The fall of a French Government in the ordinary way is not an event of serious significance, but the sudden (if not wholly unexpected) collapse of the Leygues Administration must be a matter of very deep concern to English statesmen. There can be no doubt that the main cause of it was the dissatisfaction felt by the French people generally at what they regard as the chaotic and unsatisfactory state of Anglo-French relations. We have often pleaded in these columns for a speedy revision of the Treaty of Versailles, and that in the direction of greater generosity to our late enemies. There is no doubt whatever that this is possible, but it is well to remember the very important fact which Professor Zimmern emphasises in his brilliant article in a recent issue of the Manchester Guardian on The Differences between England and France, "that the reparation clauses of that Treaty are the only safeguards of France against national bank- ruptcy. Nor, as he points out, can France forget the fact that although we well knew this, our representatives insisted on the insertion in the Treaty of the allowances and pensions clauses almost entirely in our own interest, and it was the extension of the German liability to cover these costs which rendered it impossible to fix a definite sum for Germany to pay." Under these conditions it is not surprising that an atmosphere of distrust and suspicion should have been created, and that the French people should have come to the con- clusion that strong and clever men only should carry on any negotiations with our representatives. Apart from the United States, Great Britain is the only allied country that can afford to be generous, and it is only generosity that will save us and Europe from disaster. As Professor Zimmern very truly says, our only manly and honourable course is to refuse on our own account to benefit by particular clauses which offend against our better judgment or impede the restoration of normal conditions on the Continent." FEBRUARY, 1921. NOTES OF THE MONTH The Near East. Constantinople. The refusal of the Entente to end the rule of the Turk in the old city of the Caesars, and to make it the seat of the League of Nations, has unloosed all the disruptive forces in the Near East. There is now a demand that Smyrna should also be left to the Turk, and if this is done it is improbable that Greece will consent without fighting. In any case she will only consent to plot revenge in the future. If Greece has lost Venizezlos, her position is strengthened by the matrimonial alliance betwen her own Royal Family and the Roumanian, and a Balkan war for Constanti- nople is again a possibility of the near future. The only hope of tranquility in the East is the establishment of some Imperial power at Constantinople that can deal in a fair way with Balkan troubles. But the only power that either Europe or the Balkan States would tolerate there is the League of Nations. Ireland. Government was prepared to negotiate with the repre- sentatives of Sinn Fein. We were also told, and were inclined to believe, that the formal proclamation of martial law in certain districts in Ireland would put an end to the lawless reprisals which have cast such a slur on the name of England, but, up to this moment, our hopes have been disappointed. Apparently the negotiations have not developed, and the friends of peace are in despair. The difficulty seems to be that before it will make any advance, the Government insists on an universal surrender of arms by Sinn Feiners, which they in turn refuse. They give two reasons apparently; firstly, that they claim to be the legitimate government of Ireland, and for them to submit to the Government's demand before acceptance of terms would be to stultify We have said already, and it is worth repeating, that few matters are more discreditable to Europe than the continuance of the Ottoman tvrannv at There can be no doubt that the position in Ireland has grown worse. At Christmas we were told that the