The evening leader. (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) 191?-19??, 1919-05-20
GERMANS FAWN
; BEFORE VICTORS
Foes ServiIity Looked Upon as
an Attempt to Win
LenienCy.
TRIES TO Be GOOD FELLOW
Attitude Is Proving Poser for States
men at Peace conference-5ehlnd
II All Is German Campaign
for Sympathy.

Paris.-Germany apparently Is play
ing hard to re-establish herself COM
mercially with the powers against
whom she has been warning for four
years.
Like the bully who is licked, Ger
many is now trying to ingratiate her
self with her enemies, and her attitude
OF servility is proving a poser for the
statesmen at the peace conference. To
British, French and Americans alike,
now taking up positions in her terri
tory, the German extends open hands,
throws wide the doors of hospitality
and with almost studied care sees that
the life Of the soldiers is made pleas
ant. 1t is proving effective propa-
ganda.
Woman Toasts France.
One incident showing the peculiar
course the Germans are pursuing is
told by one Of the French statesmen
as follows:
about six weeks after the signing
of the armistice some French officers
were sent to Berlin to take charge of
the French embassy there. Shortly
after their arrival a musical was given
in one of the cafes, to which the French
officers were invited and went. Dur
ing an intermission a German woman
of consequence came over to the table
where the Frenchmen were seated and,
raising her glass, said:
"'TO France
"The French officers, somewhat
taken aback, replied:
"'We are sorry madame, but we can
not rise to that toast, for it is impos-
sible for us to reciprocate.'
'"The German woman left the table
confused, but presently returned and
again lifted her glass, saying:
""Then may 1 not offer toast to
Paris, most beautiful city in the
worldY
1.-THE French officers drained their
glasses.
But how contemplate is such SER
Witty! But it always goes with bru-
tality," the Frenchman said.
Another case of the effort of the
German now to be "good fellow" is
shown by an incident happening to a
dOughboy in the occupied territory.
Americans in the army of occupation
are forbidden to fraternize with the
Germans. One day, however, one of
the men lost his way and inquired of a
German the direction to his objective.
The German told him. But during the
conversation an American officer, see
ing the discussion, came up and placed
the doughboy under arrest for frat
ernizing. Before the dOughbOy could
explain the German rushed up and,
addressing the officer, said:
"He was not fraterniZing with me,
sir-he had lost his way and merely
asked me how to get back and I told
him."
The effect of the move on the dough-
boy is obvious.
There are hundreds of similar
stories.
What's Behind It?
But how to meet the situation is
what is puZzling the peace confer
encers. OF course they regard with
disgust this ELUSIVE effort to please
the victorious. Behind it they see the
German campaign for sympathy and
adherence to the old plea of LET by
cones be bygones" with commercial in
terests in the saddle.
The French fear its effect most.
knowing Germany's ability to soon re-
establish herself industrially, while
France struggles to rebuild her raw
ished plants. Hence the French on the
one hand demand the utter destruc-
ton of Germany and on the other hand
demand Germany pay gigantic indem-
mites.
The American view is that ito milk
COW one must feed her"-if Ger
many is to pay, as she must pay, for
the horror she has wrought, her indus
tries must start.
1t is a dilemma land the end is not
yet in sight.