The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-12-26

add convincing argument TO his posi-
he lives saturated as il is with thu
scenes and recitals of wrongs and out
RACES and plunderings and highwa.
robbertes, will be another factor II
anchoring his mind irrevocably on tn,
need of making the punishment fl
the crime. No other man has wit
messed these things without becoming
a pronounced advocate Of heavy in
IDENTITIES, and it Is not likely the pres
ident will be an exception.
German propaganda distributed es
pecially in this country argues tina
Germany must be allowed sufficient
industrial and commercial oppOrtuni
ties TO enable her to pay an indemni
ty the amount Of which she seeks tC
determine for herself, and to enable
her to survive after it is paid. The ar
gument is so subtle and so adroitly
advanced hat it is obtaining some fol
lowers. 1t needs to be taken apart and
examined before it becomes "A nation
az udIlS'l w lIt 'Illtu QUITE dlli
an international danger to the world
The conduct of Germany has placed
the nation sc far outside the rights OF
mercy and the laws Of civilization that
what becomes OF her as a nation after
the indemnities are paid is a matter
Of utter indifference so long as she
is not a breeding place Of pestilen-
tial disorder and contamination. iiav.
ing brought herself to her present pO-
sition by her own deliberate acts, she
is not entitled to any consideration
for her future.
II is good hnancieTing to exact no
more indemnity than the nation can
pay without destroying its power to
pay. Therefore, the amount Of the in
demnity and the terms under which
ii shall be paid ought to be adjusted
to the ability Of the government to
meet the demands. This is the only
method by which "A bankrupt can meet
his obligations. Great Britain and
France are not going to the peace con
ference with intangible visions con-
corning this feature of the settlement.
They have had experts working to de-
termine the largest amount Germany
al pay and the manner in which it
can be done without destruction Of
the paying resources. That is hard
headed, practical craftsmanship. They
will have uncontrovertible informa-
ton to back their positions. What
they demand will be what Germany
can pay and the in which it
can be done. The amounts are not
greater than the damage, so that the
acceptance Of any smaller indemnity
would be surrendering to Germany
part Of the penalty which her crimes
justify.
Germany is determined, If propagan-
da will accomplish it. to secure a
lease of industrial life by obtaining
and commercial advantages
will be inimical to competing
of other nations. These
are sought on the ground that they
alone will enable her to pay the in
the allies will impose. 1t
Is argued, and this is the dangerous
point, that if she is prohibited from
on advantageous terms with
other nations, IL she is not permitted
all countries including those Of the al
lies and the United States, and to I'M
their commodities OF home pro-
duction, there are no methods Of rev
enue production by which the indem-
nifty debt can be met. The visitors
are not in the least concerned about
how the debt is paid except that pay
emnt must be made. The rest Is the
concern of Geramny. She should have
considered these possibilities before
she committed the damage. The prop
erty to be taken under the sheriff's
execution has been located. and if the
cash is not Forthcoming the process
will be executed.
The German plea for commercial adj
vantages Is d bold attempt to dom
mate world trade. Germany knows
can food the earth with marufac-
.ured products of her low paid Labor.
Her factories are intact and have been
added to by the machinery stolen from
he occupied territory. She has lost
iron mines but otherwise her
AVAILABLE raw material is as good as
the val If German goods can
De pushed into all trade fields: if con-
are granted by which trade
extension is unhampered: if the ad-
Iantages which Germany asks are Civ
an, by the time the indemnity is paid.
German trade and commerce will con-
'rol the world markets, the nations
which her military power sought to
will be limping behind with
oaGs Of debts Of their own to pay
md the opportunities for paying them
leld BY Germany. II there must be a
,hoice between an uncollected indem-
iity and German trade dominance, it
we're better the indemnity remain UNI
,aid. The other course would soon
zee able to back up that power by a
lew navy and army and another world
var would result, because that spirit
s unconquered in the German people.
hey are as militaristic now as when
hey followed the kaiser.
This proposition ONE home to the