Evening star., 1919-03-30

wide views today declare that 1T
would have succeeded. Had the i'm
perial government finally started its
press bureaus making German opin-
ion In the mastery manner we now
know of and persuaded the German
people to risk 1t. the German people
would have inherited France.
Do you not seer Is 1t not clear?
Dear France. we apologize. Take
back Alsace -Lorraine! says Germany.
"and let US live in love" Overwhelm-
ed by the generous act. France would
have taken. not Germany. but Ger
many to her heart.
The annual economies of standing
armies on their frontier would have
paid every long-dreamed social work.
And that is nothing. Instead of look
ing askance at German enterprise. the
French would have welcomed 1t. Does
Germany need iron ore2 Why, GER
tainly we'll sell them all they. want!
This one detail OF ore would have
wiped out that looming danger, threat
of German industrial ruin. which
made the Millionaire steel interests
clamor for the conquest Of Briey by
bloody war.
A detail. Those who know how Ger
man big business painfully insinuat-
ed itself into French boards OF direc-
tors. formed French companies at
business Inconvenience and loss,
bought land underhand. and sought
Chow often In vain)! to get a better
business footing in resentful France.
can Imagine what German enterprise
could have accomplished in q cordial
France and her colonies.
French colonies-a detaill Neglect
ed by the French as immigrants, they
would have been thrown open wide to
Frances friends, the Germans. Why.
German farmers might even have had
their choice Of fertile lands in France
itself. on lease or purchase, lands
abandoned in depopulation.
German clerks. whose laborious mer
Its forced their way In France, despite
dislike. would have been welcomed
into families.
their good friends. the Germans? BY
handing back Alsace-Lorraine in such
touching way, the Germans would
have gained an ally. proof against Sc
ductions. Germany might sleep Sc
cure. her western border kept by love
doubtless. With French prestige in
the Levant to indorse them, what
might Germans not have hoped there?
And aided by French capitalize gold
Of half the world. alas!
For France, you see, would have
sunk back to rest. In sweet decadence.
The pure dream Of the "revanche"
(only) going. With not even the
'revanche" to bolster up her dwind-
ling birth rate. France would have let
herself go in luxurious depopnlation
with her friends. the Germans, to
inherit everything!
The kaiSer's dream, they say.
"A sure scheme to lose the crown"
the crown prince sneered. The Ger
man people are not little orphans,
sniveling to be adopted"
Some thought with him, that "the
German people would not stand for
ing back Alsace Lorraine would "in-
furiate them" The German people
could not see so far ahead" Tut, tut,
1t Is replied today. with the imperial
press bureau working at leisure, the
German people would have thought
them to have thought. And the
strong leaders saw 1t all ahead. all
right--perceived that veritable golden
future for the German people.
But, alas for human nature!
They could not see themselves in 1t,
personally.
They wanted quicker action, gain and
prestige for their own selves. The
kaiser's dream! Why. even the kaiser
finally flung it over, for the rapture
of sudden conquest. That's what they
cared for the future OF the German
people.
And today, If you ask any OF those
Ludendorifs or Bethmanns what about
the kings dream, they will answer:
There Is not a man upon the earth
that can show the kings matter; nor
did any king, or lord, or ruler ask
such a thing of any magician. astrol-
oyer or Chaldean,"
One day. the kaiser himself said: 1T
has gone from mel"
STERLING HEILIG.