The sun., 1918-07-15
blunder by placing the weaker nations
under onerous commercial tribute to her

blunder by placing the weaker nations
under onerous commercial tribute to her
self.
"On Lithuania she has imposed her
coinage. From Rumania and the Tx
raine she has exacted a guarantee of
supplies irrespective of their own needs,
and at nagrantly unjust rates of COM
pensation. She has appropriated the
natural resources of Rumania in the
form Of a lease to German corporations.
On Russia, Finland and the Ukraine she
has imposed unfair and onesided tariff
arrangements. The people of Finland,
in fact. find now that their liberties have
been bartered away in an agreement
signed secretly In Berlin. and II Is
actually being proposed that thousand
OF Films should be deported to work for
German masters.
Having established control over the
Dardanelles and the Baltic Germany has
now brought under her own control tho
third great highway of European trade
the Danube-hy destroying the internal
tional commission which had long be-
come an established organ Of European
polity. and now. In order that there may
not be any mistake as to the Significance
OF thesc acts. her Foreign Minister has
declared that this Rumanian treaty in
particular will DO made the precedent
and foundation for the economic terms
to be demanded by the Central Powers
at the general peace.
The significance Of this declaration
X evident from Kuehimann's own words,
that the damages Rumania will have to
pay Will amount to a very considerable
sum In the long run. sums which per-
haps do not very substantially differ
from that which might presumably have
been obtained by officially demanding a
war indemnify
Conditions for Germany.
''Economic independence and free
choice are the last things which Ger
many will ever allow to the peoples
within her reach. So long rs this is the
policy Of Germany how can we admit
her to membership In the free asso-
citation Of nations to which we already
belong? Before she can claim rights for
herself she must convince US that she
acknowledges and will respect the rights
Of others. Before we can offer her any
participation In our resources she must
release her victims from the economic
slavery that she has imposed upon them.
While the war continues we must take
as measures of war all the steps re-
Quired to destroy the economic basis
Of her military effort.
when peace is restored the place of
Germany In the commonwealth Of ma
tions will be determined by the test as
tablished by President Wilson. II she
abandons her old ways and her restless
and aggressive policy, II she ceases to
use economic policies as a preparation
for further war we shall not be SLOW
to recognize the change. The sacrifices
for which this war has called are
too great and too bitter to permit of
our neglecting the Presidents warning
that complete change OF mind and
purpose in her Government are the nee
essary preliminaries to her admission to
participation In our economic partner
ships.
Neither the United States nor the
British Empire has pursued or will pur-
sue any selfish policy. The preoccupa-
lions Of our internal reconst ruction will
never blind us to the obligations which
we owe to our associates. or limit the
fulness and frankness OF our discussions
with them. There must be no Jealousy
between us and no suspicious.
IL hope the time is not far of when
we shall meet round the council board
To discuss In detail the economic asso-
citation which will combine the resources
~ the civilized world In the Joint work
of reconstruction and the restoration of
prosperity"