Events had moved quickly. Mr. Lloyd George had developed a sudden and violent sympathy with the Government of Moscow. He now saw in it a saviour who would secure for dormant British industry the work of reconstructing the immense devastated empire. He had decided to bestow upon it his official blessing, to obtain that of all Europe, and to approve its theories and practices, in particular nationalization. Henceforward, the _Shell_ considered it had no further concern with the proprietors of the old régime. And Colonel Boyle, one of its most active agents, entered into relations with Krassin, who _promised to reserve to the_ Royal Dutch-Shell _the monopoly of the export of Russian oil_. Krassin promised everything he was asked, and allowed the contract to be drafted. But as soon as there was talk of signing it at Genoa, he gave the project such publicity that the general diplomatic hue-and-cry which resulted prevented its signature. _It was the Soviets themselves which divulged their agreement with the_ Shell. They have no wish to place the greatest riches of Russia in the hands of a single people, and especially a people so successful and ambitious as the British. The British Government just failed to realize its greatest dream; the conquest of the remaining oil deposits throughout the world--a conquest which would have assured its supremacy in the future and would have made all other peoples its tributaries. But, in spite of everything, I believe in the future of the British people, one of whose leaders was not afraid to say, twenty years before Germany had begun to dream of European hegemony: "I believe in this race, one of the greatest governing races the world has ever known, this Anglo-Saxon race, proud, tenacious, self-confident, resolute, which no climate and no vicissitude can corrupt, and which will infallibly be the predominant force in future history." FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 37: I believe that the exploitation of these deposits will shortly be placed in the hands of the Sinclair Company, one of the most powerful American concerns after the _Standard_. A large number of shares in this company have recently been bought by the _Standard_.] [Footnote 38: Nevertheless, it had been warned as early as the previous March of the agreement which was afoot between the _Shell_ and the Soviets, and it had seen the text of the contract.] PART IV FRANCE'S PART IN THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES CHAPTER XVII THE CARTEL OF TEN In this bitter struggle between Britain and the United States for dominion over the world's oil, what is France's position? France as yet possesses very little oil, although petroleum has been found in various parts of her colonial empire and that of Alsace has been restored to her; but on account of her political importance, she is a "second" who may decide the victory. Hence the efforts made by the two great Anglo-Saxon nations for her alliance.