The Alaska citizen., 1917-05-28
JUSTICE-NOT VENGEANCE


 JUSTICE-NOT VENGEANCE
 Recently the delegates attending the Rus sian workers and soldiers convention in Pet rograd declared themselves against any plan | to dominate any nation and acquire addition | al territory by conquest or work any ven geance of any kind on any nation in the world. This considered by the govern ments ot all nations at present engaged in the war, including Germany, that these radl- calls would be against holding Germany for an indemnity for the damage she has done to the countries she has invaded and prob ably would object to seeing France demand the restoration of Alsace- lorraine. The Russian provisional government also address ed a note to her entente allies in which 1t was stated that Russia had no desire to domi nate any country. These views have caused considerable uneasiness and alarm i'll those countries which are now at war with Ger many, as they do not coincide with the opni ons of either England or France. Monday, at the opening of the French parliament, Premier kibot, in addressing the assembled deputies, took occasion to give Frances idea of both these proposals. He explicitly declared that it was with no idea of working vengeance on Germany for the wrongs she had inflicted on France, but was simply a question of collecting payment for damage done by the German troops. In referring to collecting indemnltleS I from Germany, he declared that 1t was no more than right that she should be forced to pay for damages inflicted by her, and the allies are determined that this shall be made good. Without figuring the indirect losses and waste caused by the war the direct losses reach an enormous total
 1 More than a year since, the French gov ernment appointed technical commission to estimate the actual damages done to that part of France which has been in the war zone Easing its figures on the damage found to have been done to that part of France which was first occupied by the Germans and since reCaptured by the allies, the commission es- inmates that more than fifteen millions Of francs damage has been done i'll France alone The complete destruction of every thing between the Disc and the Aisne shows that these figures are conservative Not only has practically every building been razed to the ground but the ground has been ren dered vaueless for cultivation for years to come. It will take years Ot hard work to make this land again fit for cultivation 1 For years AlsaCel lorraine has wanted to come back into France. It was taken away from France in the peace settlement ot l8/O and the administration of its affairs by Ger many has only intensified the bitterness of | spirit that was created at that time. The 1 French will most certainly demand restora- 1 ton, nor can this be viewed as annexation of foreign territory.
 In figuring the indemnltles that Germany must pay, Belgium must be looked after. It will take huge sum to reCOmpense this peo- | pie for all they have lost and for their sui ferings. There can be no question as to the l justice of Belgium's claim for payment of damages. Not only has it practically been wiped out of existence as nation, but even most of her citizens have been forced to be- come refugees in foreign lands or serfs in the country of her despoler. Even Germany's emperor and his mouthpiece, the German chancellor admit the wrongs that were done ! her, and in the early days of the war prom l ised indemnity for them.
 When Premier Ribot, of France de- clares, then, that Russia had confused the idea of just recompense for damages inflicted and the restoration of territory achieved by force of arms at former date, with revenge on fallen enemy, he took stand that can not be controverted by either facts or figures. It is not the intention of Germany's enemies to revenge themselves on the German people, but they have every right to exact payment for the losses caused by a war mad leader of nation filled to the brim with military ideals.
 AN EDITORIAL BY PRESIDENT WILSON.