The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-20

upon Germany an indemnity suffi-
ciently great to pay every dollar OF
Indebtedness incurred by America
and our allies, to pay an indemnity TO
the family of every soldier killed and
to every soldier permanently invalid
ed in the struggle for humanity
safety. 1t might take Germany many
years to make these payments, but a
prosperous Germany within the next
so years would reflect upon the moral
integrity of all civilization in failing
to do our duty.
Germany and its allies should be
compelled to bear this burden, it mat
ters not how great may be the tax
upon the people Of those countries.
When the Civil War ended the
Confederacy had fought for four
years against overwhelming odds. 1t
fought a war based on what it be-
lieved to be right. The Civil War
was war Of principle on both sides
It was fought without any Of the bar
barism of which Germany has been
guilty, but the South was compelled
to surrender Internationally, and the
United States demanded that not
dollar of Indebtedness incurred by
bonds or currency for the prosecution
of the Civil War by the South should
ever be paid. In addition to all Of
this loss, the South lost as property
the billions invested in slavery. It's
aocks had been practically destroyed
i'm the effort to sustain the Confed-
eracy and its manufacturing enter
prises were almost completely wiped
out. The South was, indeed. so poor
that if it had been a corporation it
would hardly have been worth the
expense of going through the bank
ruptcy courts Within so years.
however, after the close Of the Civil
War, the South had so developed its
industries that it's agricultural and
manufacturing interests exceeded the
total Of the United States in 1880.
though at that time the population o.
the country exceeded by 100000
the population Of the Southern States
in 1915. In other lines Of work the
South has made equal progress. In
1915 it expended upon its public
schools more money than the United
States thus expended in 1880.
If the South under a condition OF
poverty far greater than that which
Germany will face at the end Of this
war could, within so years, by hard
work make this great advance, and
at the same time carry its share of
the penshions paid to the Union SOL
diers, by whom it was defeated, it is
certain that Germany could within so
years work out condition which
w.,u1d enable it to carry its entire in
debtedness incurred by America and
the allies.
There should also be imposed upon
Germany penalty Of returning every
dollars worth Of loot of which 1t
has robbed other countries. Ger
many has looted the occupied. parts
Of France and Belgium and Italy and
Russia and Serbia and Roumania of
billions of dollars Of tangible wealth
in the way of machinery, raw mate
rials railroads and money. Every
piece of loot which it is possible to
trace, up should be carefully calculat-
ed and valued and Germany should
be compelled to return the original
or it's equivalent. For every ship
murdered by it's submarines it should
be compelled to return an equal ton
mage, and not until this has been done
sh hould a German flag ever be permit
ted to fly on the seas.
If we do not insist upon punish
ment such as here outlined we will
simply encourage Germany to pre-
pare for another war and millions
will die in that other war because
we were too cowardly to press this
war to the final condition Of punish
ment of the criminal individuals and
nations.