Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-26
Violent in Surrender

= ERMANI is still running true to form.
~ 1t has not changed its spots 1t has UNI
dergone no regeneration as the result of ad-
versity. II has not allowed defeat to alter
the character which made the whole world it's
enemy. But il has surrendered and surrend-
cred Internationally. 1t has agreed to sign
the allied treaty of peace, and publicly an
nounced that it will swallow the medicine
offered. But 1t is with roar of protest. 1t
talks OF murder and tries to convince all
humankind that it is helpless victim OF
greed and violence and blind hatred
The allied governments not Influenced
by this frothing at the mouth. They have
made what they know to be a just peace.
They are making the most criminal nation
known TO modern history pay in some measure
for the suffering and horror which it wrought.
Ihey are reducing TO state of military i'm
potency the most dangerous race of men in
the world today. They are liberating OPP
pressed nationalities which the Prussian
power held in its grip. They are permitting
the German nation to live, and will permit
ii TO have intercourse with all the nations OF
the earth in its natural ambition to rehabii-
tate itself but they are taking care that no
future regime in the vanquished country may
again rise up and drench continent in blood.
That such precautions have been taken
to harness the illicit power Of Germany are
necessary, every sane man knows. That Ger
many cannot be trusted to keep any pledge
in good faith has been demonstrated again
and again. This was made manifest when the
neutrality of Belgium was shamelessly vio-
lated. 1t was made manifest repeatedly
throughout the war, and it was made mani
lest just the other day, when its naval sea-
men, while peace negotiations were actually
in progress, violated the terms Of the arms,
tice by deliberately scutting a fleet of war
ships.
This Is hard peace because of manifest
necessity Germany is made to pay heavily
because 1t scattered wreck and ruin with a
criminal abandon. 1t is disarmed because
the world knows by experience that it is now
safe TO leave ii with sources of military power
It's frontiers are altered because it held with
III us borders millions Of conquered people
whose lands and wealth it had sought to alb
sorb. Its criminal rulers are demanded that
they may be put on trial and made to pay
with their own blood for the anguish they
imposed on millions of defenseless people
But there is some sanity left in that coun-
Try. If this were not true, the National AS
semby would have rejected the peace treaty
and invited the chaos which would have fol-
lowed the revival of war. Enough men of
balanced mentality seem TO have remained in
germany to keep the nation from committing
suicide. They know what would have han
pened to them and the millions Of people be-
hlnd them If the peace negotiations had failed.
IL the allied armies had begun their onward
march TO Berlin, and if the blockade had been
restored. For this, at least the world NAV
feel degree of thankfulness There is some
thlng TO hope for in Germany If that nation
mad gone stark mad and finally rejected the
treaty, a situation would have been created
from which Germanys enemies might we'll
SHRINK. But peace is now in sight, and the
world may breathe easier