New-York tribune., 1919-05-14
If Germany Doesn't Sign


what then? What means will bring a
change of mood?
The armistice automatically will ter
inmate and Germany will be subject to
occupation. This will involve few prac-
tical difficulties, and the wisdom of pre-
cautionary provisions Of the armistice
terms will quickly appear.
The German army has been demobi
lized-except for small force The Ger
man submarines are in Ally possession;
and the German airheet and the effect
I've artillery establishment The Ger
man commissary is disorganized and
can neither equip nor supply troops
Germany has enough rolling stock on
her railroads to supply civilian needs,
but not enough to move armies. So rs
to motor cars and tractors.
The advance into Germany would not
be war, but a parade. The German
leaders know this as we'll as others, and
do not pretend to hold out a hope even
of resistance. AS for joining hands
with the Bolsheviki, as is family threat
ened-this is impossible. Poland inter
poses bar to physical connection, and
long before it was passed the Allies
would be in Berlin.
But perhaps it would not be necessary
to occupy Germany. Germany is short
of food and a re9stablishment of the
blockade, this time complete, would Gre
q 10 not fho
with their profound war WEAKNESS, are
not morally equipped to endure. Riots
among the starving and the semi-starv-
ing would not be agreeable to read about, \
but In the disturbances Germans would
be killing Germans, not their adversaries.
Germany for six months has been will
ing to go Bo]shevist if it would do her
any good, but she has seen Bolshevism
is something that makes bad conditions
worse.
Maximilian Harden is the one man in
Germany willing to say what the Ger
man people really think. Other editors
say the things Germany wants the out
side world to think she thinks. And
Harden frankly declares that the peace
terms are no more onerous than Ger
many had right to expect. If condi-
tons had been reversed Germany would
not have been satisfied to file merely
reparation bill. She would have re-
CURED payment of her war expenses:
and perhaps a profit, as she did in 1871,
when France paid approximately so per
cent more than the German war ex-
penses.
Except hurts to pride, the peace con-
ditions are not severe, if Germany means
hereafter to keep the peace. Why does
she wish to have an army or a fleet?
Forced disarmament is about the only
discrimination against her, and this dis
armament obviously is to enable the
Allies, as soon as they dare, to disarm.
That Germany, after a period of
sputter, viii sign is still the best guess.
IT she does oot, if the Ebert government
wants pressure to be exerted to enable
1t 70 say it had no option, there will, of
course, be no chance except to oblige
Then, the domestic end having been
achieved, the delegates will announce the
unconditional surrender which the Amer
ican people demanded in November.
tlatter over the Fourteen Points should
deceive none except those who want to
be deceived. Germany brought the Four
teen Points out of the obscurity in which
they had reposed for a year as diplo-
matic man1uvre. She hoped to divide
the Allies at the peace table. 1t was all
pretence that the terms suggested by
president Wilson were fundamentally
dinerent from the terms previously an.
nounced by the Allies. In the yerv
speech which contained them President
wilson did not contend he offered any,
thing new or different. He identified his
summary as Substantially tle same as
thar OF the Allies. Before proceeding
70 ms enumerations he said:
Not once but again and again We hayr
iaia our whole thought and purpose before
inc world, not in general terms only. but
Y eacn time with sufficient definition TO make
~ clear what sort OF definite terms Of set.
uemens must necessarily spring out OF
tnem' Within the last week Mr.. Llovd
george mas spoken with admirable cando.
ana IN admirable spirit for the people and
government OF Great Britain"
Germany in the spring Of 1918 held
sae Fourteen Points were impossible
Tier discovery Of virtue in them did not
come until she was whipped. Moreover
our allies, when conscnting to use the
Fourteen Points as base, specifically
indicated that Germany must pay dam.
age bill; and it is the damage bill, with.
out In any way alleging it exceeds the
damage done, that Germany now says
In crushing. Germany signed tho ar