The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-06-23
A BRIGHT FUTURE

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There has never been any serious doubt that the Germans
would sign the allied peace terms.
What Germany failed to secure on the battlefield she
attempted to secure by adrot moves at the peace table.
But diplomacy avaled nothing. Clemenceau stated the case
briefly, accurately and unsympatheticaly at the first session
with the German delegates.
The predicted weakening on the part of the allied council
did not materaHze. 1t was as obdurate in the end as it was at
the beginning.
There is no doubt of the speedy ratification of the terms by
the great European powers.
When the treaty is ratified the nations again, for the first
time in five years, will be at peace with one another.
There will be some delay in the United States. 1t is not
altogether certain that the senate will ratify the treaty. The
Republicans control both branches of the congress, and political
~expediency will enter very largely into the conduct of the senate
in the matter.
If the Republicans feel that it is likely to be good campaign
material to decline the treaty and insist upon a separation of the
treaty and the league Of nations in order that they may be con-
sdered separately, the ratification of the treaty as formed may
be refused.
The country as a whole is weary of the agitation. 1t wants
peace, and if too much time has elapsed for it to secure peace
speedily it nevertheless wants peace as early as possible.
Germany is not a bankrupt nation, 1t has spent no money
outside its country in any great amounts. 1t can take care OF
the indemnities very conveniently, and at the same time make a
strong bid for the raw material OF other countries.
Germany has lived through the war principally upon her
own resources. The money the German government spent went
from one German enterprise to another.
The liberal financial concessions made by the allies to Bel
gium will help to make a speedy restoration Of that country,
even if the German indemnity seemed relatively small as COM
pared with the tragic and ruthless destruction that she endured
at the hands Of the Germans.
Italy was cautious of her finances during the war. She
was a heavy borrower, and there will be no burden imposed by
that nation for a speedy restoration of the funds used in the con
duct of the war.
France had her finances depleted, but she went through the
war without levying a burdensome tax upon the people, 1t
would not have been possible, in the first place, for the reason
that every available man was engaged in the war-not war
work" that we hear so much about in this country-but war
itself.
England and the United States bore the brunt of the burden
of finance, and came through without having their facilities
impaired.
Thus it is that the signing and ratification of the peace
terms will find Europe the greatest field in the world for the
utilization of raw material.
This country, in carrying on ship construction for the con
duct of the war, finds itself at the close of the war better pre-
pared to enter the world trade than it was at the beginning Of
the war.
England has been looking to the resumption of world trade
from the day it was stopped by the war. An intelligent com.
mission has studied the problems and kept abreast with condi
tions.
In all its phases the prospect for several years of unex
celled prosperity is most encouraging. With every shop ant
factory in this country taxed to its full CAPACITY to sunpiv h,
domestic trade, and with the idle shops and the appeals from
foreign countries for all and more than we have to spare, ou
profit from the world trade in the future will be limited ol,
by our resources,