The Washington herald., 1915-12-29
Obliterating Germany.

Discussing the ultimate fate OF Germany is mild
ly suggestive of selling the bears skin anterior tc
the actual destruction of its The English
newspapers, however, are doing it, and the sub
jcct has been mooted in journals, nota
bly, in the New Republic, which takes issue with
the substance of letter written to it by the Eng
lish writer and war expert, Mr.. Hilare Belloc
While admitting the possible futility Of this topic
it is clear that if the allies are to borrow some
of that efficiency of which their enemy is at pres
cnt supposed to enjoy a monopoly the time to
prepare for any effort they may intend to make
for the political and commercial annihilation of
Germany is the present.
The purpose of the allies, as indicated by Mr..
Beoc, is not merely to defeat Germany in a mill
tary sense, but to dismember the empire force the
disintegration of much of it cannot be Topped
off, shut her off from intercourse with themselves
and far possible with neutrals, and generally
to do everything possible reduce her the con-
dition of third-class power
The New Republic bases its objection to any
such action not only on the ground that it is un-
necessarily harsh, but the further grounds that
it will prove injurious the allies themselves and
will simply the seeds of aggravated race
hatreds that will be bound to breed war in the
future.
While incnng to the view expressed by the
New Republic we have to admit that the program
outlined by Mr.. Belloc, assuming that it can be
carried out, is not truculent or unnecessary as
might appear at first sight. In the first place it
is not unreasonable to suppose the German hatred
of England, at present manifested in various
ways will at the close of the have reached such
a point that the determination to one day wreak
thorouh and bloody revenge will be firmly i'm
planted in every German heart. And the Eng
lishman says to himself "If we do not finish this
thing properly Germanys opportunity may come
surprisingly soon." And that is true. German
trade if nothing is done to curb it, will leap ahead
after the with all the impetus that distinguish
ed it before The rapidity with which the German
population increases is notorious. Enormous mill
Lary resources will remain in German hands at the
declaration of peace-unless they taken away
and even if they are taken away the power to re-
duplicate them is enormous. And as for money
money has proved the most uncertain and nebu-
ous factor in the Germany which before the
war had to have recourse to loans every year to
meet deficits in her budget, has since the war
began had money to burn, at least has been
able to do quite we'll without it.
OF course, there can be no question of future
aggressive action by Germany if the allies stick
together. But that be relied on? Suppose
Russia and Italy could be won to the side of Ger
many against Britain and France, the issue being
some unforeseen denouement in the Mediter-
anean? 1t is not likely, but it is not impossible
Then, unless Germany had had her wings properly
clipped, she might be able to take her revenge
And no doubts that she will plan for it night
ind day. Therefore, the allies say, the thing to
10 is to strip her absolutely of as much territory
IS possible, of ships and money and credit, to re-
use intercourse with her and keep her far as
possible from intercourse with the world, and in |
particular to compel disintegration of the empire
nto independent units with constitutional forms
If government. Then it is argued, after certain
ime the independent units will be glad to be rid
If Prussian domination and the hatred will die
,ut or at least be confined to the now diminished
Prussia.
The objection to this plan of action deals rather
With the extent to which it is to be carried into
fleet than with the principle involved. 1t is urged
hat German Empire with democratic and con-
titutional form of government would be no more