South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-03-26
VERY IMPATIENT WITH
WORK OF CONFERENCE.

We have sacrificed our first line
Of defense. We have not only sac
rificed but we have risked the pos
sibility of seeing our natural allies
forced into the ranks of the enemy.
In this time, what of Germany?
The notion that Germany could go
over to bolshevism was held by the
whole world to be preposterous at
the moment when Germany aban-
doned the war. on two separate
occasions since then the elements of
order in Germany have succeeded
temporarily in restraining the ele-
ments of disorder which borrow the
colors and the ideas of bolshevism.
but for four months we have been
unable to make even a preliminary
treaty of peace with Germany. We
(the allies) have continually held be
fore the German people the extent
or punishment which we intended to
inflict upon them. We have openly
discussed, week after week, the in
demnity we intended to take from
them, the provinces we intended to
deprive them of, the ships we meant
TO seize and We have inculcated in
the German mind the idea that We
proposed TO destroy the future of
Germany; and in the meantime, we
have done nothing.
What has been the result? Had
we imposed upon Germany in No
vember substantially the terms
which we mean to impose upon her
in April or May or June the German
people would have known the worst,
have been compelled to accept and
would already have been on the way
TO adjust themselves TO new condi-
tons. The inherent size of order
and discipline IN the Germany peo-
pie would have reacted as it has on
two occasions already against dis
order. Against bolshevism, instead
there has been ne chance for the
Germans themselves because Ger
many has been kept for four months
in the position of a criminal await
ing what may be a death sentence.
In such a situation, il is inconceiva-
bic that any man would undertake
to begin plans for new life.
The result Is that we have trans
formed Germany by our course into
new material Of exactly the sort that
bolshevism feeds upon, precisely as
we have deprived our natural allies
along the eastern fringes of the eIe-
ments of hope and confidence. We
have performed a similar service to
those elements of order in German
upon whom we must depend if We
are to have indemnity; upon whom
we must depend if Germany is TO be
saved from bolshevism. If bolshev-
ism, sweeping over Russia and
Poland, enters Germany, passes
through it and arrives at the Rhine,
we shall have a situation which will
tax the resources of the western
powers to their utmost. We snail
have TO ask the war weary people
OF France, Of Italy and of Britain TO
make new war, more terrible than
all preceding wars, because the Paris
conference mas been unable TO act ia
time TO prevent this storm from ar
irving at the frontiers Of western
Europe.
This is the situation today, four
months after military victory. Ono
year ago Germany surprised the al
lied world by an offensive of a char
acter which had not been foreseen
ana very nearly won the war. This
was in March. In November the
Germans again surprised the allies
by a surrender so totally Unexpected
that the allies had no common pol
icy; had not prepared a policy 10
put .nto operation a the moment
Ahen Germany surrendered.
All our difficulties. and they are
enormous. have flowed nom the
fact that We had no policy when the
Germans surrendered. IL took Foch