The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-07-07
FRENCH, U. s., ENGLISH FRIENDSHIP
NECESSARY TO DEFEAT German ENDS

ences of opinion between the nations
which have defeated her, and, finally
to build up new alliance, which shall
in due course Of time be strong
enough to renew the challenge of
1914.
To begin at the beginning, Germany
Will not at once attempt resistance in
the west to the terms of peace. AL
sace-Lorra1ne is solidly in French pos
session as is the Sarre region, French
armies are encamped along the Rhine,
furnished with all the material for
campaign. The same is true with re.
spect Of the relatively insignificant
territories on the Belgian frontier
which have been allotted to Belgium,
and for exactly the same reason. Ger
many cannot undertake now to recon
quer territory.
| 1t Is quite different in the east
Posen, Germany has already evacuat-
| ed, and the Poles occupy the province,
to reconquer this would be to engage
in new campaign which would bring
reprisals along the Rhine at once, but
| West Prussia, the famous "corridor,"
, and the city Of Dantzig, neutralized
| under the terms Of the Versailles
agreement, are still in German hands
So is Upper Silesia, where plebiscite
has been ordered in the treaty as
amended, so are the East Prussian
districts in which the original treaty
provided for a popular vote to deter
mine whether the regions should go
! to Poland or remain Prussian.
Therefore, we may expect, and must
expect. that the Germans will offer
their first resistance to the fulfillment
of the provisions Of the treaty so far
as territorial considerations are in
volved, In the east, along the mo
mans land" which had been created
between the new Poland and the old
Prussia. Moreover 1t is essential to
recognize that never. save in the
presence Of force. will Germany ex-
cept the cession to Poland of any of
her territory; it is conceivable, even
probable that Germany might in time
accept French possession in Alsace.
Lorraine as permenant, but the Polish
situation Is quite different. In the
German mind, the Poles are an infer.
Tor people. German frontiers in the
east fnviolable, and Polish inability to
maintain her independence or her in.
tegrity unaided by western powers
unmistakable.
FROM the outset. then, we may ex
Dect German resistance in the east
If the frontiers laid down by the Yer
sailles document are to be established
they can only be established by AL
lied armies. And will France, Great
Britain, the United States agree to
send troops to enable the Poles tc
occupy West Prussia and Tipped ST
lesia? At least Germany believes tha
there is a question and she means t.
test it. But If the Allies do not en-
force this decision, then there is al
end Of real Polish independence
Hopes Arise In Poland.
But in the matter of Poland, Ger
many has other obvious purposes
She champions the claims of the Ii
thuanians. the White Russians ant
the Ruthenians against the Poles, sh,
hopes and justly expects that tn,
clashes between the Poles and thei
eastern neighbors, with the Czechc
SloVaks into the bargain, will Civ
her precious allies, and that the pre-
tests of these several opponents o
the Poles will Great a prejudic
| against the Poles in Allied capitals