The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-04-22
GERMANY SEEKING
ALEADINC PART IN
RESTORING FRANCE
Wants to Get the Trade for
Re-establishing Areas
Devastated
RUIN HELPS GERMANY
1t is a Striking Exhibition of German
Audacity by Country Supposed
to Be Defeated

| iHu coiuDiOOueuIeSS ueSccHuS 10 ltS
lowest depths in the suggestion which
has just reached Paris in German
newspapers to the general effect that
since England and the United States
will not be able to materially assist
France in her reconstruction prob
lens, Germany, with her factories and
mills intact, can best serve devastated
France with the necessary materials
for restoration-a restoration made
necessary by the brutal and barbarous
laying waste of the German armies.
The suggestion, which emanates
from no less newspaper than the
Vossische Zeitung, has caused consid-
erable discussion in peace conference
circles and brought forth renewed de-
nunciations of the German and his
unchastened spirit in defeat.
The newspaper begins with what at
first seems a frank admission of the
damage Germany has done in France
and her desire to redress it. A care
full study of the article, however, re-
veals that it's aim is to point out how
Germany can yet gain from this de-
vastation by selling to France at
''fair" profit the materials which are
essential for rebuilding the districts
now in ruins.
The article even goes so far as to
praise Germany for the noble sugges-
ton of giving aid to her former en-
emy. \
An adequate idea of what this dam
age is, cannot be gained except by a
visit to the occupied regions, the
newspaper points out. Then it gives
examples of the work to be done,
taken from an official report made by
Germany in 1916.
This report carries some interest
ing admission.
For instance, it says that in the case
of the mining industry, all copper
and brass and other alloys have been
taken from the machinery. The re-
placement of these, the article adds,
will be both costly and protracted.
Most of the mines in the occupied
areas, the paper continues, have been
put out of commission either by flood
ing or alteration of the water courses
and many are destroyed permanently.
Machine and locomotive works have
been laid waste and for many years
France must get these things from
outside sources.
The textile industry, one of the
most important in Northern France,
has had enormous damage inflicted
upon it, the etent of which is outlined
in great detail.
Shorter summaries are given OF
damage to breweries, distillerles,
sugar works and minor industries.
All this appears quite frank and
more or less repentant in tone, but
following the recital Of what German
destruction amounts to, come comfort
and the hope of future profit IN tins
conclusion England and America
will not be able to give material help,
both because they have their own
knitting to attend to and because
their ways are so different from the
French. On the other hand, just
across the way, so to speak, is neigh
borlv Germany, willing and ready to
extend aid, reasonable prices quoted
on request with force of workmen
familiar with French machinery and
French needs generally. What an e.
cellent chance, says the paper, for
friendly cooperation between two
Powers which, while once enemies
should really forget these little dif-
ferences and work in harmony.
Of course these Germans are tamil
lar with French machinery, many
thousands of them having been ac-
lively engaged in destroying French
factories and stealing machinery ana
other equipment.
Summing it up in the most optimis-
tic way the German newspaper says:
"The French will get what they need
and German industry will be restored
to its pre-war pitch of prosperity.
practical share in the work OF restora-
tion by free German labor and the de-
livery of German goods in the only
form in which Germany can bear Its
part of the burden, and is therefore,
the form which will serve France best
in getting what she wishes"
This exhibition of nerve on the part
of country which the world sup
noses to have gone down in defeat is
only one of many similar signs which
lead to the conclusion that the real
leaders of Germany, both political and
commercial, have no true feeling off