CHAPTER VI

EUROPE AFTER THE TREATY

This chapter must be one of pessimism. The Treaty -includes no provisions for the economic rehabilitationof Europe, —nothing to make the defeated CentralEmpires into good neighbours, nothing to stabilise thenew States of Europe, nothing to reclaim Russia ; nordoes it promote in any way a compact of economicsolidarity amongst the Allies themselves ; no arrange-ment was reached at Paris for restoring the dis-ordered finances of France and Italy , or to adjust thesystems of the Old World and the New.

The Council of Four paid no attention to theseissues, being preoccupied with others,—Clemenceauto crush the economic life of his enemy, LloydGeorge to do a deal and bring home somethingwhich would pass muster for a week, the Presidentto do nothing that was not just and right. It is anextraordinary fact that the fundamental economicproblem of a Europe starving and disintegratingbefore their eyes, was the one question in which itwas impossible to arouse the interest of the Four.

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