Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-05-25
What Germany Will Attempt.

"udI 0ermdny Will Attempt.
Nothing is more possible than that
Germany will seek to escape from
the payment of reparations fixed by
the treaty of Versailles. Nothing is
more certain than that she will seek
to erect an alliance in Europe com
posed of Austria. of Hungary, of Bull
garia and of Russia. To this alliance
she will endeavor to add any people
which finds itself dissatisfied with
the decisions taken at Paris. She will
seek to enlist the Italians. If they
are dissatisfied with the Fiume set
Element. If the Italians are satisfied
she will endeavor to persuade the
Jugoslavs to join her group. We
shall have period of at least fifteen
years in Europe in which it will be
very grave question whether the
be brought back by Germany into
effective existence, or whether the
new ideas on which Mr.. Wilson has
based his policy will prevail If the
new ideas do not prevail we shall
have Europe divided again, as it was
in 1914, within a relatively brief
period of time.
Chance of Permanent League.
The single chance of a permanent
league of nations. possessing neces-
sary force, is that it shall have be-
hind 1t the great resources of the
three western powers. and beyond all
United States. Germany will not
easily find allies in Europe. nor will
the German people be easily led into
new policy of militarism. il it is
recognized that this policy begins by
depriving those responsible for it of
ends by bringing the United States
so"arely into action against it.
If it be understood in Europe that
the United States now. having i'm
posed its own ideas upon Europe, hav-
ing forced the European nations to
accept its ideas with respect of their
own frontiers. their own defenses.
means to retire. not alone in fact, but
in responsibility; if it is recognized
that we have washed our hands of
the settlement which we have i'm
posed nothing is more certain than
that the league of nations will die
swift and violent death. The continent
tai nations will be thrown back upon
the necessity of taking material
guarantees in Europe against aggres-
sion no longer stopped by the Ameri-
can declaration.
Result Of Rejection by Congress.
If Congress rejects that proposal.
which Mr.. Wilson has made, the
league of nations will disappear from
practical reckoning, alike of states
men and people. on the continent of
Europe. French armies of occupation
on the Rhine will not be withdrawn,
opening a road of invasion to Bel
sions, IL there be any, to Jugoslavia
will not be realized, since the Ital-
ians will rightly recognize the posi-
bility Of German advance to Trieste
and the Adriatic. with Jugoslav as
sistance. All the various compromises
based upon the idea that justice in
the settlement would be sustained
by the solidarity Of the, countries
making up the league of nations
would disappear. Europe would make
based upon the old necessities and
old considerations: but this would
mean, within a certain period. a new
war; and a new war would not fail to
involve the United States.
Today the United States has play
ed the decisive role in Paris. Presi-
dent Wilson's influence has, on the
whole. despite temporary fluctuations.
been the strongest single influence
in the conference. The war gave to
lelled in modern history.
It's possession of the financial and
material resources of the world en-
abied 1t to speak with authority and
compel the nations associated with us
In the war to bow to that voice. The
treaty OF peace which has been made
has been framed almost uniquely with
the idea of satisfying President Will
sons demands-demands which were
based upon his conception that world
peace could only be assured by the
creation of league of nations based
upon just settlement.
What the President Comedies,
But President Wilson has recog-
nized, as all reasonable men must,