The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-03-29

= M Alb Hl1Hl lNlUk lulTlk VI
all In the Paris conference has been
the absence OF any settled policy as
to Germany. Precisely as Germany
surprised the allies IN March of last
year In her Somme offensive, she sur
prised them In November by her pre-
cipitate surrender. In March she ex-
posed them as lacking unity of COM
as without a clearly reasoned policy
for the exploitation OF that victory
which was just becoming unmistakable.
We have had, therefore, over the last
three months two conceptions curious
y conflicting, each In turn influencing
the minds and shaping the policies OF
those whose power It was to impose
peace upon Germany, and whose me-
cesstty II was to fix terms which
should guarantee for the future pro-
lection against German attack and
reparatlon for the German destruction
OF the war,
Al the moment when the allies pre-
scented to Germany the terms of the
first armlstice neither Foch nor any
OF his military or political associates
believed the actual extent OF the vic
tory, Foch, like the rest, expected
Germany to reject the terms which we
offered, and so great was the desire
for peace among the masses of the
people In the allied countries that the
"a INoNN hNhAtAe WI q oIlb VI
what was necessary and OF what Ger
many. actually helpless, would have ex-
pected, In November Germany had to
accept whatever was offered and knew
II, Unhappily. the allies were not equal
ly Informed on the German situation.
Feared Bolshevism.
In the first phase following the Ger
surrender victorious Europe, tenn
porarily escaping from the fear which
m%ilitaristio Germany had inspired dur
Ing four and a half years OF war, gave
itself up ITO the equally Rralysing
nightmare Of German Bolshevism, Ii
neglected to take precautions against n
militarlstio Germany In the future be-
cause II was afraid of contributing to
producing u Bolshevtst Germany In the
present,
The result OF these h~esitations was
a temporary revival OF the old Ger
man spirit probably far more apparent
than real Despite their domestic chaos
and their ever-mounting Internal dis
orders the Germans temporarily talked
IN the o n In the language which
for more than four and a half years
had alarmed a Europe which had then
perceived these words to be backed up
by all the enormous forces OF the
armies OF Hindenburg and Ludendorff.
OF Bolshevlsm In Ger
many disappeared. Fear of Blsmarckian
Germany returned tenfold, and at this
stage the entente hesitated to take
calculated to check Bolshevism,
sueh as feeding the Germans, lest they
In fact save militarism.
We have come o TO a third phase,
Today II Is becoming clearer and clear
er that the old Germany is doomed,
mat the d~isintegration marches day by
gay, that something approximating
Russian chaos, however temporary, Is
well nigh inevitable. Unlike Rus
STA, Germany IN not yet breaking IN
INTO separate states, There Is no evil
dence available that there Is any prob
ability OF a break between the north
and south, between Protestant and
Catholic Germany, .between Prussia on
the one hand and Bavaria, Baden and
nuremberg on the other, such as was
expected at an earlier period,
What is apparent is that the economic
and social d~tsintegration OF the whole
German empire is becoming more and
complete.
In this situation the allies have AT
last undertaken TO do a little OF what
lhey should have done in totally three
serve upon Germany preliminary terms
OF peace which shall he In fact in all
name the definitive terms, They
have practically decided the frontiers
Of the new Germany, they are an
preaching an agreement upon the sum
which Germany must pay and the man.
ner in which II must be paid. They
are practically finished with fixing the
regulations to cover German disarma.
ment now and future military impo-
Yet II is plain now in Paris how
was the blunder in November
and In all the subsequent weeks. There
was always the fatal dilemma-"Shall