The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-07-10

IVA AAAA ~ AAl"AAl NNAF ~ y
pentent Germany, a Germany
verse the decisions of the recer
It Is essential then. at the outset OF
a new period in world history to lay
aside certain Illusions fostered during
the war and cherished FOR a time, aft
err Germany had yielded last November.
We have not before us u promise Of a
new age. we have not |liquidated the
old auarrels out Of which the present war
grew, we have not settled questions
like the Balkans. All the old problems
remain, while TO them we have added
innumerable fresh difficulties extending
from the AdriAtic TO Russia and from
Danzig to Mesopotamia,
But now as before the German prob
lem remains the most acute. what are
60, 00O, 600 people, hostile, hating their
%conouerors, confident still of their own
superiority In virtue and In race go
ing to do in the face Of the conditions
imposed upon them by the treaty OF
Versailles? We know, they have told
us so frankly. bluntly that they do
not accept the conditions, save as the
force behind these conditions compels
temporary assent. For them rs one
Of their most influential journals has
already announced, the new treaty Is
a new SCRAP of paper" But in what
direction must we look for German ef-
fort to nullify this treaty?
Germans Still Better.
On the military side It is plain that
much time will pass before Germany
can organize q new war. Her defeat,
the terms OF the treaty, the state Of her
fppNNlaru with the Rhinula nnu npnlnInn
by allied armies, make n postponement
Of new military operations for 10 and
perhaps 10 years likely, unless her enc
mics shall themselves, because Of in
ternal disorders arrive at the same
state OF unpreparedness. We may say
at the outset that a revolution In
France might easily be followed by a
resurgence Of German military strength
and a fresh German Eruption across the
Rhine, but short OF this, a new Ger
man war is highly improbable for at
least a decade,
On the other hand Germany will I'M
duestionably begin to prepare for the
next war on the very morrow Of the
signing OF the treaty Of peace, But
her preparations will not be military at
the outset. By contrast she viii plain
ly undertake to do three things; to
avoid compliance with territorial and
financial conditions Of peace alike by
NAhGTHhl pEOku ku nud anu lhNSlNb It-
sistAnce on her frontiers, to separate
her foes by intensive activeness In The
familiar propaganda lines, by the eX-
ploitation Of real and possible differ
ences OF opinion between the nations
which nave defeated her, and, finally
TO build up u new alliance, which shall
In due curse OF time be strong enough
10 renew the challenge OF 1914.
To begin at the beginning, Germany
win not at once attempt resistance In
the west to the terms OF peace Alsace-
Lorraine. Is solidly in French possession
as is the Sarro region, French armies
are encamped along the Rhine, fur
nished with all the material for a cam
paiRn. The same Is true with respect
of the relatively insignificant territories
on the Belgian frontier, which have
been allotted to Belgium and for exact
~ the same reason, Germany cannot
undertake now TO reconquer territory
II is quite different in the east. Po-
sen, Germany has already evacuated
and the Poles occupy the province, to
ieconquer this would be TO Rag In
n new campaign which would bring re-
prisals along the Rhine at once, but
West Prussia, the famous corridor"
and the city OF Dangig, neutrali2ed I'M
der the terms OF the Versailles agree
lnent are still In German hands; 80 Is
Upper Silesla, where a 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 determine whether
the regions should got to Poland or
remain Prussian.
Therefore we may expect and must
expect that the Germans viii offer their
first Resistance to the rulfilment Of the
provisions of the treaty so far as ter
rltorial considerations are involved In
the east along the no mans land"
Nghtah had hAAH npA0NAA k.trAA, a..
new Poland and the old Prussia. More
over II is essential 10 recognize that
never, save In the presence OF force will
Germany accept the cession Of Poland
or any of her territory, II Is conceiv-
able, even probable that Germany might
in time accept French possession In
Alsace-Lorraine as permanent, but the
/, Polish situation is quite different, In
the German mind, the Poles are an
inferior people, German frontiers in the
east inviolable. and Polish inability to
maintain her independence or her in
tegrity unaided by western powers uu-
m~istakable,
From the outset. then, we may OK
poet German resistance in the east; Oi
the frontiers laid down by the Yer
sailles document are TO be established,
they can only De established by allied
armies. And will France, Great Brit
ain, the United States agree TO send
troops to enable the Poles to occupy
West Prussia and Upper silesiag Al
least Germany believes that there Is q
question and she meant TO test Ii, BNt
n the allies do not enforce this de,
Gision, then there Is an end OF rea
Polish independence.
Huns Welcome Strife.
But In the matter Of Poland, German,
has other obvious purposes. she cham.
pions the claims OF the Lithuanians
tina Whitn RttGutanu nfa tn Duh.
ianE against the Poles, she hopes ant
justly expects that the clashes between
the Poles n their eastern neighhors
with the Cxecho- SlovRks into the bar,
gain, VIII give her precious allies An
that the protests OF these several op.
ponents of he Poles viii create q
prejudice against the Poles in aliet
capitals. Behind all else, too, German,
hopes for the day when Russia, achley
ing new unity, viii again Join with Ger
many In an anti-Polish policy, promis
X ing new partitions and a restoratio.
~ the old situation IN her easter
marches.
AS TO financial considerations, no on,
can mistake German purpose She ha.
already found an audience among .th,
elements in allied nations, which fl
their eagerness for a peace Of concilia
ton are ready to make any sacrifice 4
German demands. Her claim that tn
financial burdens imposed upon her ar
unjust will be urged with new clio
quence in the succeeding months an,
Years. and in America and England Ger
many hopes to obtain support for tn
reduction Of these financial obligations
This hope is the more strongly he'll
because the United States il not a
all interested directly In German pay
ments, Great Britain only slightly; /
Is France. together with Belgium, whic.
must have German PREPARATIONS to re-
main solvent. But win the allies O
France support her claims. even to tn
extent of new military operations, with
out benefit and bound &c impose ne,
expenses upon themselves? German
to try IL out But without thes
financial r%eparations France is we
nigh ruined n II the United State
and Great Britain do not suppor
Y France. then there Is an immediat
breach in the alliance which only Will
IL IL an alliance a maintain the docu
ment of Versailles in fun force.
II France does not obtain PREPARATION
she is not Unidentified for the wanto
destruction OF her Industrial district
nothing snepNg mara rapfain than 49,