Evening star., 1919-06-17

cans. and / assume the same opinions
must exist in similar quarters in
America. growing impression that
Germany has been unfairly treated,
because the fourteen points have not
been interpreted in her favor. There
seems to be an impression that Ger
many was in a condition to bargain
with her enemies in November, that
she had ln,de a bargain and that the
terms OIL The bargain have not been
observed by the allies
But this is familiar German propa- :
ganda-this maneuver over the four
teen points. 1t is the sort Of thing
the Germans did exceedingly well all
through the war. confusing the issue,
misstating the fact. then demanding
rights which could only flow from
conditions which were nom existent.
When the Germans jumped over
board last fall they seized upon
President Wilson's fourteen points as
life preserver. All things consid-
cred. the fourteen points have been
exceedingly valuable to them. but
sert that because Of the fourteen
points they were absolved from all
kinds of responsibilities.
We have marched long way from
the time Of the armistice. but It Ia
worth while to refresh our minds
once in while on the actual facts.
Germany did not surrender on ac-
count of the fourteen points. She
surrendered because she was beaten.
The German people did not lay down
their arms because Mr.. Wilson's pro-
gram reached their hearts or their
heads. Germany capitulated because
she was beaten. There never was
any chance that the fourteen points
would be interpreted to save her.
They have not been, and German
complaints are merest eyewash.
See Their Hopes Shattered.
The thing which the Germans are
now up to ought to be clearly under
stood. Those people who believed
that the settlement of this war could
be made in such fashion as to re-
move hostility between the nations
Germany attacked and Germany have
realized in reading the terms Of peace
that this will not happen. They per-
ceive. as l frequently have pointed
out. that while Germany cannot pay
all that she should pay, the amount
which she will have to pay will be
a burden upon German shoulders for
many years to come. They perceive
that in fact the treaty with Germany
will be an armistice lasting until
Germany has discharged her obliga-
tions some fifteen years hence--an
aTfnlStiCe which Will QlSSOive INTO
war If Germany falls to pay up in
that period. Seeing all this. seeing
their hopes shattered, they are criti-
cising the treaty of peace as unfair
to Germany.
The Germans are agitating on the
same line. They are conducting q
propaganda designed to enlist the So
called liberals of the world. exactly
as their ce-without-annexa
propaganda reused the liberals of the
world to sympathy just before they
|, themselves made the Brest -Litovsk
and Bucharest treaties.
The tactics are obvious. The OBJ
tective is to save Germany from the
consequences OF the war and make
the French and British pay for de-
Tending themselves, and also pay for
the destruction Germany has done
But there 10 always an essential fal-
lacy in every German argument. In
this case it is found in the assertion
that Germany could have fought II
she had not decided TO accept the
fourteen points
copy yrigh,. 1919. Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.