The French newspapers continue to be excited by the bellicose
speeches of German militarists. Some of the recent speeches in Germany have certainly been extremely stupid and provocative. M. Briand has sincerely been trying to cultivate a policy of conciliation, and it is tact- less of any German to refer to the reduction of the troops on the Rhine as a " right " and as something which involves no obligation of corresponding conciliation in Germany. On the other hand, it is surely unnecessary for public men in France to take the German fire-breathers quite literally. There will be no real conciliation so long as the retention of French troops on the Rhine inspires retired German generals to breathe forth threats, and so long as these threats are taken in France as a proof of the necessity of keeping the French troops where they are. The safest course for everybody would be to withdraw all foreign troops from Germany. Germany's position as at once a full member of the League and as an occupied country is quite anomalous. A comparatively few foreign troops in Germany cannot possibly prevent her from arming.
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