News of the Week
The Hague THE Hague Conference has now been sitting for more than a week. We applauded the Chancellor of the Exchequer for his frank opening of the British case. The country is glad that its Delegate should have stated clearly that in order to get an agreed report in Paris, the Experts had expected Great Britain to suffer more than her fair share of the necessary losses. The Conti- nental habit of laying burdens upon us is, in a way, complimentary, but it has become a little extravagant, and has reached a stage which reminds us of Mr. Kipling's Norman warning his son to beware of the Saxon when he grumbles, " This isn't fair dealings." We are also glad that Mr. Snowden should have exposed our grievance against reparations in kind which reach our old markets, and, in the coal industry at any rate;, contributed to its miserable depression. In a leiding article we have expressed our hope that Mr. Snowden will show the reasonableness which is essential to any conference, and that his vigorous tactics may gain his points, rather than antagonize the Latin countries and wreck the Conference, with results that will turn back the advance of international collaboration. At the time when we write the news from The Hague is hopeful.
