The Washington herald., 1919-03-16


but open arms. Clashes between
the soldiers and the civil popu-
lation of the Rhineland are al
most unknown. Strict orders
against fraternization have been
posted by the invading generals
and the orders have been needed
more on account of the advances
of the populace than by rea-
son of the friendly intentions of
the conquerors. As soon as the
Americans. for instance. came in
to Rhenish Prussia and began to
occupy the great castles Of the
Rhine country, their owners be-
gan to flock back from the Ger
man cities to play the host.
They frankly said that people
of their own class were in much
less danger among the Ameri-
can troops than they were sur
rounded by the mobs of the
great cities. And when these
German Junkers came back
they at once became as chummy
with the occupants OF their VII
las and castles as army resu-
lations would allow.
German orchestras and bands In
the American area had to be for
hidden to play THE Star Spangled
Banner" In Coblens and Cologne
the whole attitude Of the popula-
ton is to cater to American and
British trade. 1t will be years be-
fore any store window in Paris
will contain the legend Mann
Sprecht Deutsch Her Yet on
half the store windows of occu-
pied Germany English Spoken
Here" Is plastered. AS soon as the
German army got out Of Alsace
and Lorraine. printers were busy
selling placards to the German
storekeepers which read "Matson
Francais." And even in the midst
Of deportations from Metz and
Strassburg OF leading Germans,
they kept up the fiction of turning
French, when they must have
known it could do no good. The
German nation could take a souse
in Bolshevism at a signal. and
when Simon said thumbs up could
return as sober to a constitutional
monarchy and go scampering after
the trade OF the unshaken conti-
nents, while the French or the
their heads and bewail the folly of
their ways. The Germans were led
into this outrageous war; they
could be submerged into a Bolshe-
visit peace, and out of that into
honor Of the fatherland.. They are
a docile people, and because they
are doclle they are a tremendous
menace to the peace OF Europe.
French Make Claims.
The French on the other hand
are not docile. And they have a
just claim against Germany which
for reasons above noted It may be
impossible to collect in full. The
Germans have not objected seri-
ously TO paying for the damage
they did in the war to French
villages and cities and farms. The
Germans are reconciled to the loss
of their colonies. They realize that
Alsace and Lorraine are gone, and
they can see the justice Of giving
France certain rights in the coal
lands of the Saar basin. But France
now feels that she should have all
OF Germany west OF the Rhine
That is large order. II would
mean an army OF occupation there
for generation. and a warlike
attitude on the part Of Germany
for century. But France feels
that she is in grave danger un-
less she has all the territory oc-
cupied by the allies west of the
Rhine. Very likely Germany would
consent to keep soldiers and forti-
fications out of this area. But
France fears the German promise,
and demand that the allies recos-
nize the just claims of France.
England across the channel, with
the German feet destroyed. does
not share the nervous feeling OF
France. Naturally America is calm
enough in viewing the Germany
that is conquered Italy has a
mountain range between her border
and Austria. and Austria is not as
warlike as Germany. Privately the
other allies speak Of the present
state OF mind of France as a case
of nerves. And the enemies OF
France among the neutrals land
one must ADMIT that jealousy of
France more or less inspires these
enemies) profess to see rising In
France the dream OF the days Of
the grand monarch. These enemies
declare that the military spirit of
the age lies in the French: that
France is the menace, and that
France. In refusing to allow Ger
many the slightest chance for mill
tary reconstruction, Is acting as
the agressor and not as the de-
fender in European politics. This
opinion is. OF course, unjustifed by
the spirit of France. But the fact
that II IL held even by the neutral
enemies of France indicates that a
vast madness has spread over Eu-
rope since the armistice No coun-
try in Europe is more war-weary
than France.
War Not New.
The masses of France have on
imperialistic dreams, no plans for
national glory. And yet the nerves
of France have produced
strange reaction, which is mis-
understood by the world. France
was unbelievably brave under
bombardment, and now that the
let-down has come rs suffering a
natural reaction, say her friends.
But France knows better For
five hundred years she has been
going to war with the German.
Thionville changed its name six
times in those five hundred years.
In Alsace and Lorraine a race has
been bred which knows no. very