Norwich bulletin., 1919-10-18

| DF. G. Mitsukuri late professor in the Tokio Imperial University pub. fishes serious inquiry regarding the to the East and West News. He says: As the object of historical study and criticism Is concerned with the past | it is very difficult for the historian to gauge properly the future and out line the development to be expected. It might be thought comparatively easy for him to turn prophet and in dicate the development to be expected But it is easy to know the fu- ture. Most of the forecasts offered by historians have proved to be largely
 inaccurate To ask historian about ing a boatman about the course of a river; the boatman knows that the
 river never .-uns straight and that it has it's humors. now toward this side
 and now toward that, even chang ing it's channel betimes; and it is just futile for the -ist brian to at
 tempt to indicate tiIe current of fu-
 ture history. Ever since the signing
 history have changed. The world is
 ever marked by change; and no one
 can accurately indicate just what the
 change will be- As. time evolves the
 changes of the world become more
 numerous and com plicated. Histor-
 ians are constantly calling IT, the
 past to throw some light on the fu
 ture. but as the years go on the fu-
 ture seems to be separating further
 and further from the past. During the
 war in Europe there occurred many
 changes that no prophet could have
 foreseen. Who could have ina agined
 before the war that Russia would have
 fallen to pieces as she has done? Or
 who could hare predicated that Ger
 many would have been as completely
 defeated as she has done? Or who
 could have Dredicated that Germany
 would have been as completely de-
 feated as she has been? It was easy
 enough to infer that since Germany
 had agreed to the armistice conditions
 she would be sure to sign the treaty i'm posed by the allies. Even when she
 offered the natural opposition dis
 played by her delegates. no one doubt ed that Germany would sign the trea
 ty- Germany well knew that her only hope of salvation was to set her seal and dignity maintained by the Ger mans in the face of utter defeat showed them to be q great race like the Anglo-Saxons and the Latins
 Yes. it was easy to see that Germany would = the peace treaty: but what prophet or historian will be bold enough to foreten the future of Ger many?
 This problem for some time will prove one of the enigmas of history One thing. of course is clear to even the most minimizing mind. namely. that Germany will not be able to re- cover her former efficiency and power for at least thirty years. It will take Germany longer to recover from this war than it took France to recover from the effects of the war of 1S1O- Even tIen Germany will be wholly un- equal to other powers in armaments. she will be weak. too. as she is now almost exhausted and cannot hope to import capital, besides being under very heavy taxation for war debt and indemnify The econ omic reha bilitetio of Germany seems ike an i'm DO .ssi5Ie task. And if a Rhine should be established } the ease would be worse than ever. No loubt Germany W i'll at Once set 10 work to repair her war losses indust-
 i..iIy and Financially: while she will aroba bly, send abroad many i,lnli- grants especially to South America. IS the papers already state. Germany vas skilfuI in utilizing the mailed fist