17 MARCH 1923, Page 1

M. Andre Tardieu, staunchest of all supporters of the letter

of the Versailles Treaty, has summed up with admirable realism what the Ruhr policy means to France :- " As an economic operation, the Ruhr policy has failed com- pletely. Nor are the political results apparent. So vague were the objectives that at one moment the need of security was regarded as the cause of the advance, and there was talk of an imminent attack by Germany. Now there is more talk of exploiting the Ruhr, and the thesis of ' security ' is abandoned. Even now it is not clear what M. Poincare hopes for."

This is the comment of an ardent French Nationalist, the disciple of M. Clemenceau, on the cry of " France is winning."