The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-12-05
WILL NOT STAND
HUN MADE GOODS
Returning YANkS WILL NOT
AGREE TO AN OPEN DOOR FOR
ANYTHING GERMAN
FEEOH HUNGRY FRIENDS BEFORE ENEMIES
Doors OF Trade And OF Assistance
First To Be Opened To Those
Who Stood For The Right
BY H. C. EVANS
Copyright 1879

On the Italian Front.-The natural
resources and raw materials of the
twenty-four allied nations will be nee
essary to rebuild that portion of Eu-
rope devastated by Germany, and for
the immediate needs Of the allies.
What, then, about Germany's depend
ence upon raw materials not pro-
duced in Germany? What about her
economic and commercial relations
with the allies after the war? Just
the other day the German chancellor
said:
"An open door for trade will be n
of the most important demands at
the conclusion Of peace. The present
substitute materials cannot suffice for
peace. For wool alone Germany
would have to keep fifty million sheep,
which is impossible. The supply of
raw material is the weakest point Of
our world economy"
Germany is dependent on the ma
tons she is now fighting for raw ma
t~erials, wen for woolens to keep her
children warm in her rigorous climate.
Will she get them?
Be it remembered that before Ger
many invaded Belgium, in violation of
international law, that country was
rich in industries. BY the expendi-
ture of huge amounts of money and
years of industry, Belgium had be-
come a great manufacturing nation.
For more than four years Germany
has been in possession Of these fac
tories. Many Of the buildings have
been destroyed, and all of them Quilted
of their equipment. The same is true
of northern France. BY fire n ex-
plosives great factories and machin-
cry are destroyed. Without these
Belgium and France are economically
lost.
Germany found a land rich in coal
and iron mines. AS she retreats she
is flooding and destroying these
mines. 1t will require two years and
the expenditure Of much money to
get them in normal condition.
Meanwhile, not a factory, not a
mine not a town in Germany has been
destroyed.
Save in the question of "a mater
ial is better prepared to resume nor
NAL conditions than any Of the fight
ing nations Of Europe.
Belgium and France must be re-
built, restored-and Germany ought
tt do it! A part of the German prop
uganda throughout the world right
now is the statement that she is bank
rupt, that she cannot pay. That state
ment is a lie. Her coal wealth alone
is valued at nearly two hundred bill
lion dollars. That would more than
pay the war debts Of all the nations.
She should be made to pay. Her pot
ash is valued at twenty billions.
Then there are her colonies-rich in
natural resources. Yet, in all prob
abilities, by hook or crook, Germany
will escape the payment of the cost
of the war. A few millions to Bel
GUM, and some concessions to France
perhaps will be all. And in the mean
time she will be demanding the raw
material OF the nations she has tried
to destroy.
The allies a at the least see to it
that she does not get by commercial
arrangement what she failed to get by
force.
The trade doors of commercialism
must not swing open for Germany I'M
til every need of the allies is sup
piled. Peace will be declared and fu-
ture trade relations arranged before
our fighting men return home. II pro-
visions are made whereby Germany
shall have a pound of our wool, or any
other commodity, before the full needs
of Belgium, France and England are
supplied, then woe betide those re-
sponsible when our boys enter the
voting booth alone with their cor
science and their memories of the
price they paid!
A league Of nations? Yes. with
equal privileges to the burglar. the
dynamiter, the poisoner? Never!
These boys of ours who have given
up their careers at home; who have
given their time and strength, their
health, their limbs. their lives. will not
be present around the peace table.
Having brought the foe to bay, hav-
ing made him lay down his arms. hav-
ing made peace possible, and while
yet clad in muddy khaki and heavy
hobnails, their representatives will ar
range the details Of the harvest they
have garnered. And there must not
be a grain OF that harvest lost!
am not stating my own opinion
only. am speaking for Americas
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