Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1918-10-16
HUNS MUST PAY
FOR DEVASTATION
Return of Soil Taken by
Germans is Not
Enough
WOULD MAKE LABOR
RESTORE HOMES
By f. C. RODGERS.
IN. E. A. Stan Correspondent
N. E. A. Washington Bureau,

4A@o-oO-oI-of MunSey BulluluS.
WASHINGTON. D. c., Oct. 10
France will not be satisfied with any
peace which merely returns to her the
ground stolen by Huns.
Returning Alsace and Lorraine Will
not be sufficient.
Germany must give back her stolen
booty. as well as her stolen lands.
Germany must rebuild French fac
tories and homes. The Hun must
hand back northern France, but she
must hand IL back as nearly as she
found 10 in 1914
This IS the determination IN French
minds today as interpreted by NJ. Ed
ward de Billy, present head OF the
French High Compassion 10 the United
States.
in plain language, the Hun must re-
pair as well as restore.
I came 10 this understanding OF the
French peace program during a talk
with Commissioner de Billy at the high
commissions Washington headquar-
ters.
Anything less than restoration spells
future ruin for France, the commits
s!oner believes.
Germany must be held responsible
for all injury done 10 France, the peo-
pc OF France, excepting those injuries
unavoidable in warfare" Commissioner
de Billy declared.
Frances peace terms show plainly
through this question asked by her
commissioner:
shall we be content when we will
have sent them 1.-THE Germans) back TO
their homes, and will not that war be
a success for them, even without any
OF the annexations they claim, II when
they retire, they leave behind them a
ruin that the power OF production OF
the world will not be able 20 heal.
except IN so long a period that Il
means no heallng??
"And will we not be entitled 10 in
sist that, from their own works and
factories, where so much Of the equip
ment Of our factories are now en-
ployed. the Germans should be com
PEELED 10 bring back all what is neces-
sary TO put back things in the situa-
ton where they were before the de-
vastatlon?
1T would be mere justice. II IS, be-
sides, the only way Of restoring life at
once IN the devastated regions. II
will be IN the economic line, the real
izatlon OF the aims OF war Of the
allies who, in January, 1917. answered
10 the demand Of President Wilson
that they were fighting neither for an
nexation nor for indemnities: that they
were fighting 10 defend themselves,
having been attacked; and that their
aims were threefold:
Preparation Of damage done.
Restitution OF what had been
robbed.
guarantees for the future"
NJ. de Billy points out the long list
Of unwarranted and wanton acts com
mltted by the Germans from the first
day they set foot on French soil back
II the start Of the war.
He called attention to the efficient
method Germany pursued in stripping
French factories OF all machinery and
destroying such machinery she could
not transport TO Germany. This was
done 10 ruin France after the war; 20
make 70 impossible for France 70 com
pete with German trade in the mar
kets Of the world TO make France an
economic dependency Of the German
empire. All this machinery stolen from
French factories has been sold TO Ger
mans, and most Of 1t now Is installed
beyond the Rhine.
Before France can accept any peace,
the commissioner believes she must be
guaranteed the return Of this machinr
cry, else her commercial life is ruined
for years, for as NJ. de Billy says,
German factories at this moment are
prepared to start anew for the trade
conquest Of the world, and viii begin
the minute peace comes.