Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-24
The Warnng of 1871

MIR. LLOYD GEORGE said a wise word
Il yesterday when he warned us against fol-
lowing the German precedent of 1871. There Is,
according TO him, 10 be no "Alsace-LorraininE'
in the coming peace. The folly OF the AL
saCe-Lorraine policy was that it perpetuated
bitterness, erected a permanent monument Of
defeat on the very borders Of France and
made inevitable the forty years of armed
peace that ultimately broke into the recent
war. The wiCkedness of the policy was that
some parts of this folly were intentional.
There were those who wished France to re-
main hostile in order that fear might keep
South Germany loya! to Prussia. There were
those who were resolved that France should
arm in order to justify German armament
and the continued ascendancy of the Prus-
sian general stan. No such policy or wicked
ness seriously influences any of the Allies.
but fear and resentment remain the most
potent motives, and II any "Alsace-Lorraln-
ing is TO be averted it will only be by a wise
and self-controlled craftsmanship. Mr.. Lloyd
George does not in fact tell us how he pro-
poses to avert II. Indeed. while in one SEN
tence contending against anything that
makes permanent peace impossible he is in
the next sentence arguing for courses which
would go a very long way In that direction
Take, for example, the exclusion of Germans.
without regard to character and personal
record, from this country. II this means that
Germans are to be permanently excluded
from peaceful intercourse with the rest of
the world, It Is a condition clearly incompat-
ible with assured peace. No people would for
long acquiesce in such isolation and disgrace.
They will struggle against it and, feeling
themselves already Ishmaelites, will go for
ward the more recklessly TO win back their
position by force or fraud. There Is no peace
on those lines, but only the permanent threat
of revolt and the permanent machinery of
repression.
Take again the ~exactlon OF indemnities to
the utmost Of Germany's capacity. II Is
most just that Germany should pay full COM
H. g.. ER3,,.,r g. ylpl1In 40 m .nNFt1a
in the peace terms, But the indemnities
now talked Of go far beyond this, and people
do not hesitate to speak of Germany working
on a debt of colossal magnitude through a
long term Of years. What they do not at the
same time explain to the public Is that to
exact such a debt requires an army of occu-
patton. and that II 1t takes thirty years 10
pay OFF the debt our soldiers must be In Ger
many for thirty years. This IL not what our
people want. Still less Is 1t the way to end
war and arrive at a stable peace. one OF the
bad results OF electioneer'ug at such a time
as this is that the most extreme views OF
miIitancy hold the platform. Whoever dares
to hint that an eXtraYagant demand may moi
be conceived In the best interests OF the
nation il at once dubbed pacifst and pro-Ger'
man. Patriotism is measured by violence oil
language and extravaganza OF proposal. Th'
result liz that there In q good deal more o.
"Alsace-Lorraining' in the talk OF people to-
day than there was at the moment Of tn,
armistice. Mr.. Lloyd George appealed e
women to exercise a moderating influence and
to hold the establishment OF a reasonable
prospect Of permanent peace as the creates
issue. II women seriously want this the!
must demand some moderation and self-re
straint from statesmen. We cannot have !
both ways. We can have q settlement Whlcl
by Intrinsic justice and ~reasonableness make
for peace, or we can have one which Statistic
our resentment and nils our pockets at III
expense OF the enemy-an "Alsaee-Lorrain
ing settlement, which L. Just a challenge I
fine enemy 10 revolt and revenge himse
when he can. But II we want peace We mus
abate somsthIng Of our emotions, and II "
want to satisfy our emotions we must pi
eood-by 70 the prospect OF peace, That
the alternative which Mr.. Lloyd Georg
should have put before the women yestel
cay-Manchester 0nArdlAA'