The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-07-01
After the Peace Treaty

After the Peace Treaty
Germany has signed the most drastic and
crushing peace treaty in history" says Henry
Clews New York banker. "A hasty survey OF
what has happened will show that Germany has
completely lost her magnificent army and her
splendid NAVY Her wonderful merchant marine
and great foreign trade have both been swept
into the laps of rivals whom she had always re-
garded with jealousy and contempt, and even
hoped to dominate in future. Her colonies are
gone to those who will undoubtedly govern them
better. Her mineral resources have been great
ly curtailed Her great world ambitions have
persisted in a mist, and she has been shorn of
many thousand square miles of territory, as we'll
as millions of population who formerly aided in
carrying out the will of Germany. She has been
the sole cause for the downfall of two of her best
friends, Austria Hungary and Turkey; not to
speak of the ruin of the Russian Empire and a
number Of minor States. But worse than all of
these tragedies is her own ruinous loss of pres
tige, the destruction of which has left her the
most distrusted nation in the world. Total dis
regard of the sacred pledge and of all the COM
mon humanities has invoked the hatred of man.
kind throughout the world; hatred multiplied
many times over by that similar hate which early
in the war she so successfully planted in the
ishment as this ever befe any nation. Such is
the retribution which Germany has brought up
on herself by the inordinate ambitions of Prus-
sian militarists, who through blind worship Of
self and force deceived the trustful German
people. What their future may be none can fore
tell; nor are there yet any signs of repentance
on which to build anew For many years to come
German progress will be handicapped by an in
nd her
scrupulous and barbaric conduct. Under such
circumstances reconstruction will be slow, and
many Germans will doubtless seek to retrieve
their fortunes in happier lands.
THE handling of our foreign trade is rapidly
becoming an acute financial problem of national
Importance In May exports amounted to
$606 900 and imports 1929, 100000, an excess
in the former of $277 100000. During the eleven
months ending May exports Sc ,3O8, OOO,-
900, or half billion above the record, while our
imports were 81, 802, 100000, also the highest
corded But the excess of exports for these
eleven months amounted to S3,505, 100000, OF
$754,00O, 900 more than year ago. The question
is. how will this growing excess of exports be off
set? Europe is poor, having neither goods nol
gold to offer in exchange, being also heavily If
debt to other nations. For year at least she vii
not be able to pay for simple necessities and she
can only buy on credit. Already we have Loaned
many billions abroad; and for the preservation
of Europe we'll for own best interests
we must furnish the needed financial help as fal
without self injury. Estimates tt
the future needs Of the depleted nations vary
from S1,500,00OOO0 toS4 ,0O0,OOO 900; the lower
figure covering the necessities for year or so
the larger sum being for longer periods Ou
bankers have already been in conference with thu
authorities at Washington as to the best form O.
help and in due season some definite plans will
be announced Of course, the best aid that W.
can offer is that which will facilitate the resump
ton of work, trade and traffic in all of the war
torn countries, Allies and enemies alike. Nom
of them can buy indefinitely without selling ant
FOR this alone it will be ill-advised for u
to impose restrictions upon imports which woulc
tend to lessen exports In this connec
tion the resumption Of gold exports upon a NOR
The Reviv