Now the French aim at achieving this essential unity by
military occupation. It is extremely unlikely that they will succeed ; but if they do, they will attain the same economic and political preponderance in Europe that Germany had before the War when she owned the two fields. In other words, the contention is that, while Ruhr coal and Lorraine iron are economically indivisible, the ownership of both of them gives to any one State such a preponderance of power that its neighbours are unable to sleep at night. What, then, is the solution ? According to our Labour Members, international control of the Ruhr by France, Germany, Britain, Belgium and Italy, the coalfield to be worked for profit to pay off Reparations. Obviously, this would solve the problem if it could be achieved. But we need hardly point out the immense difficulties of such a scheme, which involves a complete change of outlook from political nationalism to economic internationalism. The report ends :—" In the meantime the parties concerned are waiting and hoping for something to turn up. What is most likelytoturn up, in our opinion, is war if 'a merely negative policy is pur- sued." The document may be frank to the point of naiveté, but it does, at any rate, grip the essential points of the problem, and as such is well worth reading.
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