New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-07

In the preceding articles have pointed OUT
that the advantages which Germany has al
ready gained through the war. or has assured
for herself In the future. II the present s''-
uation remains essentially unchanged CON
sist of seven chief elements. betore VIC
arrive at final conclusions concerning theSe
elements let us establish the following facts'
l. From August, 1914, TO the end OF july
isi7-in the space of three years-1errhahs'
with her 6S 900 900 inhabitants, has de'oUeu
TO the war about $4,000, 100000 francs, or
1851 francs per capita.
Within the same time France, although her
population is only 100000, has had to
spend. in war which was forced on her.
100, 900 900 900 Of francs, or $500 francs per
capita. During these three years every
Frenchman has had to contribute oO9@lrahcs
a year more TO the war than each uer'hah'
Putting aside all questions OF advantages
from the war, therefore, it may truthtuliy
be said that the war has cost Germany n'uch
less than it has France. A comparison OF the
war expenses Of the two groups OF oeiIger-
ents would only prove this fact more con-
vincingly.
German Hegemony
.. Unouestionably Austria-Hungary, Bull
garia and Turkey, as separate states nave
been ruined by their war expenses, but TINS
ruin is all to the advantage OF Germany, as II
throws her vassals into condition OF aoso.
Lutte financial dependence. As result II
Pan-Germany is to continue to exist, the
Berlin government must be the unchallengeu
controller of all the financial combinations
on which the peace and wellbelng OF ran
Germany depend. Now these combinations
evidently can serve only to strengthen the
German hegemony.
No parallel situation Is to be found among
the Entente powers. The ruin OF Russia, lot
example, would simply make the ruin OF
France more inevitable, unless decisive
victory of the Allies were to rob Germany OF
her iniqutous spoils and at the same time
guarantee to France the legitimate repara-
ton which alone can save her from IRE
trievnble financial disaster.
3. If Germany can still continue to float
new internal loans with comparative ease, 1t
is because her wholesale territorial and PAN
German seizures arc considered by her peo-
ME IA new pledges of the credit of the Ger
man state as the heart of Pan-Germany.
a. France, which has spent in three years
of war $500 francs per capita of her popula-
| ton. has suffered only loss: 1000 square
kilometres of her territory have been IN
vaded and given over 70 undreamed-o1
spoliation at German hands. Germany on
the other hand, which has spent only l,o9l
francs per capita for the war, has occupied
400 900 square kilometres OF foreign soil,
burrlarized her own allies and piled up huge
profits from the war.
The diversity OF these profits is so great,
and the mortgage that they have placed on
tbe future is so heavy, that no figures VII!
convey the sum total OF these advantages;
hut enough has been said TO show that the
aggregate is enormous. III one deducts the
ll5 900 900, 200 of francs devoted by Germany
to the war from the total represented by all
the elements of advantage Already ehumer-
ated one begins 10 realize that Germany mas
really wrupg from the war present and future
nroHts which can be computed only in hun
dreds of billions Of francs. This war; there
fore has brought Germany boundiess mate
rial gain, such rs no war IN history mas ever
| brought to one people. 1t is equally certain,
on the other hand, that Germany can utilize
her advantages only OF the express condition
or maintaining certain indispensable condi
lions of the situation on which they are based
We shall now see to what minimum these
conditions may be reduced.
A Favorable Formula
Opr table shows that out of the seven ele-
ments Of advantage won by Germany from
the war. the last six-that is, those in the
second group-are altogether independent OF
the first. except for one small detail relating
70 the national fortunes of the territories
occupied by Germany to the southeast
that is, in Albania, Montenegro, Rumanla and
Serbia. 80
If. therefore the formula, "peace without
annexations and indemnities," were actually
adopted. Germany, by withdrawing from Bel
giun and France to the west, Russian Poland
20 the east, and Montenegro, Albania, hu-
mania and Serbia to the southeast, would re-
nounce her first element of advantage, repre-
scented by the value Of the invaded terri
tories-that is, about l55,0oO,OOO,oOo francs
From this, however, must be deducted the
tens Of billions worth Of plumber carried out
Of the invaded territories during these three
years. consisting either Of products already
used I'D by the Germans, or OF material,
metals and securities which have already
been removed to Germany. Her renuncla-
tion of this first element of advantage would