The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-04
Must Have Back Lost Prov inces and Preparation
 for Damages
WORK MUST NOT BE
 LEFT UNFINISHED
Think Allied Armies Must Meet in Heart of Germany Before Sat isfaetory Terms Can
 Be Exacted
ny GEORGE DurREsNE


 Paris March 27.--tSpecial )-From more than one side we hear rnmors stating ever more consistently that in a few weeks Germany may sue for peace. While not attaching too much importance to these rumors, which come principally from Copenhagen. Switzerland and America. leading French politicians arc discussing among themselves what Frances mini mum demand should be if Germany act ually expressed u wish 10 end the war.
 fo give my American readers an idea of what tho feelings are in the French cham Der 1 went 10 see NJ. Jules Delafasse. s member who has made a special study ot economical and social conditions in GermanS and who is therefore particular lN qualified to say what Germany could afford to pay.
 Tt seems to me rather premature to dlseess such thing now" NJ. Delafasse sald. but in general way I think our eotaltions should be these First of all We must of course have back our lost provinces and the new boundary lines all over Europe must coincide with the na- tionality Of the population. This point however, is quite covered. l think, by mutual agreements between the allied powers
 Then we must insist that Germany
 
 tained by private individuals, business men and manufacturers in all the district invaded"
 ''Rut what can Germany pay?" asked.
 German economists before tho war were fond of boosting that Germany was richer by far than France. In 1913 the total national assets of Germany were estimated at four hundred thousand mill lion francs (SS0. GOO, ,000. 0O0). Herr Helferich estimates the annual revenue of the Ger mar people at fifty thousand million francs (sl0.000,o00. .000) These enormous fig ures should not arouse any envy in France, and l most heartily wish they might be correct. for then Germany can afford to pay for the material damage she has done. 1t must, however. be re- membered that the greater part of this enormous wealth Is based on credit par ucularly on securities, and the value of German securities has appreciated very ,, much since the war began. There should be enough left, though. for Germany to settle her debts.
 ITO force her to do so an absolute and l decisive victory is necessary, that is to say that the armies of France, England | and RCssa must meet in Berlin or some where in the heart of Germany. Such a i victory is certain if we pay no attention l to rnnors of Germany's willingness to 1 make peace. but remain as Cato did to- ward Carthage"
 l Must Not Leave Work Unfinished M. Maurice Barres, the famous ace demican, writes on the same subject; | ''Wo must not stop this dreadful war on terms that leave unfinished the sub | lime work done by our soldiers. When | the hour comes to discuss the terms Of peace we shall meet among ourselves 1 strong opposition on the part of certain 1 international groups of dreamers Ike l Professor Ruyssen of tho University of tn avh " a n n nt- I tention whatever.
 l "ft is necessary that all who love | France cooperate to take sufficient pre- 1 cautions against the barbarians and to safeguard our children and grandchil- dren that they may reap the fruits of our glorious efforts.
 "Our soldiers are sacrificing their | lives for the salvation of France ana for nothing else. They are not sacrificing | themselves for combinations of political conquest, but because they desire to save France and dlsarm Germany Tt is 1 the necessity of this fact that should inc | spire all minds.
 We are not going to waste our tims discussing the arguments of Germany. which pretends to have u right to AL sace-Lorraine because that country is l partly inhabited by race of more or | less German origin. and which lays the claim of Holland. Belgium. Switzerland, l Franche-Comte Champagne and Bour- ogne. Neither are we going to discuss l the German pretention that Germany l alone possesses the law which all human kind must obey. All these things are stupid. German savants mutilate science and mould truth to make 1t suit the aims of their rulers. They fight with arguments as soldiers with arms, and universities and socialists try to outdo Krupp in their efforts to furnish an artillery of arguments.
 To-day it Is force that counts. The Germans wanted to rule us. they have | tried to scare us by all means of fright | fulness here and In Belgium. We must take every precaution to make them l harmless When the savage beast once | gets into our power, we must pull out | It's claws, put it inside a stout cage and 1 set free those who were its slaves.