The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-06-02
SAYS PEACE TREATY IS
NOT An IDEAL DOCUMENT
Product Of Numerous Trnnslations
and OutRrCwth OF Antagonistic
Ideas. Says French Writer.
By Rene Vivani.


(Fomer Premier OF France.)
Paris, May 30.-We are now APP
preaching the end Of the long drama,
the development of which has been
followed by public opinion with pa
thence and resignation.
The last act. now being played at
Versailles, may offer some few sur
prises. but these need not call for the
display Of great emotion and need
not delay the ringing down of the cur
tain upon the drama of war.
The peace treaty, while it has been
drawn with care and precision, Is not
an IDEAL document. 1t could not be,
because 1t il the product Of numerous
translations and the outgrowth OF
clash OF antagonistic ideas.
A certain spirit of conflict has
at last been settled amicably. The
important question now, therefore, is
will Germany accept the amended pro-
posals to be laid before her delegates
in the place OF Versailles where the
moral and material ruin of our ma
tion was contaminated by Bismarck
in 1874 It is the irony Of fate that a
humlliated although impenient Ger
many had to come to this same palace
to register Ter defeat.
In the end she must accept, because
she cannot do otherwise. Her military
defeat is complete. and as the army
which under direction OF the auto
cratic militarist~ was the backbone of
her resistance, has now ceased to exist,
she preforce must yield. Undoubt
edly she will carry in her heart
burning desire for revenge, but will
her people permit themselves to be
led into another war?
II may be that the downfall OF the
old system which was brought about
by determination Of the people 20 es-
cape from the bonds of n1ilitasn,
and the esta blishment of new
government based on principles Of
democracy will remove Germony all
temptation to engage in war in the
future. II Germany does not Veil
her eyes to the light truth she will
he able to see that in reciprocal re-
lations with the other nations of the
earth. there Is to be found a guar
antee OF progress and prosperity,
For the present. she is claiming
Justice. Blu. where is justice violat
ed In the treaty
The territories awarded to French
had been stolen by Germany. Justice
demands that the robber give back
what he has stolen.
Alsace Lorraine, Germany sets forth
that she make these lands richer and
more prosperous. The robber can
make the claim that he has added
value to the stolen object. hut would
that be reason for. not enforcing
restoration?
France, on the contrary has every
fright to complain thet-the| awards
under the treaty fall short OF restor-
ing all the territory taken from her
by German aggression.
The Saar Basin was French terri
tory for more than three centuries. It
was stolen from us century ago and
even now it Is not restored to us.
The treaty merely gives us certain
economic rights in IL for fifteen years
after which control OF district is to
be decided by a plebisc;te. This
naturally will be made the basis for
masses of contradary propaganda
and will become an active germ of
conflict.
AS for indemnities, ideal justice de-
mands only what Is not necessary 10
rebuild the ruined sections and ma
Eterial compensation for the lives lost.
The value of each human life should
be easy to fix on an economic basis
We have lost 10000 men. Such a
frightful loss will have a retarding
effect on the work of economic re-
construction as well as on the well
fare of the bereaved families.
Aside from the treaty itself, which
while undoubtedly open TO criticism
on some points Is on the whole an
equitable document. the outstanding
fact is the pledge taken by President
Wilson and the British premier,
Lloyd-George. 10 submit to their
Legislature kind OF treaty which
would bind the United States and
Great Britain to come to the aid of
France in the event of future agrees
sion by Germany.
Will such treaty be accepted by
the United States senate, We do not