Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-01-23

II is the fixed belief OF every allied
representative III Paris that German
propasandis,s arc more ahve, NOR.
encrSctlc anu more dangerous to-day
IMAM they have been mt any time since
the beginning OF the war. 1t is believed
that they are arming themselves to
Drcnk down the grim determination of
allied statesmen to make Germany pay
ncariiy for the crimes she has COM
m!tted and To force division in the
counsels Of the entente which will
mitigate, II not paralyZe. any drastic
program of punishment which may be
proposed ut the peace congress.
Evidence of this is seen in many
directions. IT is observed In the az
tectcu cncomiums which the German
leaders arc passing upon President
wilson. in the fratcrnal advances made
toward the allied armies OF occupation.
particularly the American army: I'm tho
perS'sting campaign to enlist the sym
pathy ana support OF the Socialists
OF France and Italy and the labor
1tteranccs OF tesmentcers among
he Industrial masters In Germany and,
hnally, IN the simulated meckness with
which the German people have NO
copied their fate.
And unless the allies are on their
guard they will not escape tho IN
iuenCe of the adro!t campaign which
he Germans are carrying Cn Even
now there arc many voices heard in
Paris In opposition To the levyinE OF
~" Indemnity n, All upon Germany
pty oiii 81 icW mliltOnS to satisfy Bel
GUM. There arc others who feel that
Il would be ser TO mike Alsacc and
iSG!c Ies, in snaent than to deliver
france. Still others accm alarmed
over the possibility Of Gcrmany's dis
!hteSration. Il step which they say will
surely come IL a hard peace Is inn
posed upon the old empire through the
sins OF Prussia And occasionally some
one rises up to deplorc the demand on
the part Of most allied Statesmen for
the Blood OF the former Kaiser
These things may not seem serious
10 thoSo people to whom compromise
With Germany At this stage il incou-
cctNable. but too much had better not
Is not IN allied statesman in the world
to-day with the right of spokesman
ship who has seemed to wavcr one par
title In his purpose TO compel Ger
many 10 confess before heaven and
earth that war does no, pay, but Il is
not beyond the rahgc Of possibility
enough pressure IL brought To bear
upon them. And tho Kind OF pressure
which Is most insiduous is that pro-
ability to indemnify those nations
which have suffered Mt her hands; from
the carefully cultivated feeling that
exactly to blame for the war; from the
knowledge that kai.erism has been
ovcrthrown in Germany. meaning that
miiiinrism has been crushed. and from
In Europe TO the burden which must
be borne il great army or occupa-
ton is to be maintained In order to
exact the last pound OF flesh from the
defeated enemy.
This is the kind OF reasoning on.
hears almost daily in Paris to-day
True IL does not come from any au-
tnoritatirc source. but IL surely ORR
ainaicd In quarters friendly 10 Ger
many, II not In Germany itself. And
when enough people begin talking
upon a given line. a lot OF people
begin thinking along that line gradual
Is convincing them selves that wrong
is right or that mercy Ia Justice. II
is aEains, this that the peace COM
missioncrs must steel themselves and
the great bodies OF men behind those
commissioners rs well.
rcrhaps the most effective propa-
randa prncticcd by Germany since the
s!rEinG OF the arnlstice was that CEN
tcrinE around the series OF statements
issued by German business mon, at
tempting TO picture tho utter ruin OF
Germany. tho collapse of her financial
system. tn" wreck OF her industries
tho loss of her mnnpowcr. therefore
tho loss of her producing power and
the cn'amity which II would be TO tho