Evening journal., 1919-05-19
Uncle Harry Talks About Germany's Future

"vhat sort OF a future do you think
Is IN store for Germany" asked Helen
when the Current Events Club had
gathered FOR their evenings discus
sion.
Not much OF a one, guess" ox-
claimed Joe. rive Just been reading
tho Treaty OF Peace and II looks as
though Germany's prospects could be
bought right now for about thirty
cents"
Don't be quite 50 sure n that Joe. 4"
replied Uncle Harry "The terms Of
/ The Treaty are severe and justly so,
when we think OF Gormany's great
share OF responsibility for The most
| terrible and destructive war In his
tory. And even We, though we have
kept in close Touch With the events Of
the war by reading. cannot begin 20
/ appreciate the awful loss OF life, the
manning and Gripping OF millions and
The wanton destruction OF property as
can the people Of those nations visited
by the war
II know that n we could SEQ from
this verand0 tho ruined and shell-torn
countryside OF France, her thousands
and thousands Of young men blind or
otherwise incapacltaiod, her vast num-
bers OF little children left fatherlcss.
and IN many cases, mOtherless bye the
war, we would say that the terms OF
the Treaty were not severe enough.
What Germany Faces.
However, TO get back 90 Helens
question as % Germany's future, and
also Joe's comment on tho subject
1.-THE all-lmportant part Of the Treaty
seems 10 lie IN tho provisions which
are designed 10 make the world safe
against future German peril. FIRST.
Germany Is heavily punished for her
crimes and second, she Is rendered pow
erless 10 repeat them, even though
she az some future time might feel
disposed 10 do so. Germany, accord
ing 10 the Treaty, loses practically her
entire navy and that IN itself seems
10 be a fairly strong guarantee OF good
behavior. In addition. she Will not be
permitted 90 have conscrlptlon and her
military forces VIII be limited 10 an
army Of something like 100000 men.
within n broad zone cast OF the
Rhine an fortified works are 20 be Inn
medlately dlsmantled and the building
OF new forts Is prohibited. Germany
also forfeits her colonies and large
parts OF the original German Empire.
Add 10 these. the huge bill OF dam
ages her people must pay and we see
that the once great Germany Is shorn
OF all her power and reduced 10 I'm
potence.
Factors In Germany's Chances.
when we look back az Germany's
greatness before the war the extent
and completeness OF her downfall is
startling.
"The question seems 20 be: Can
Germany, staggering under the condl-
lions imposed by the Treaty. make any
progress and again become at some fu-
iure time, a factor among the ma
iions?
"Her population today. allowing FOR
the havoc wrourht by the war. num-
bers PROBABLY between Nifty and sixty
million people. The cream OF her
young manhood is gone and a large
percentage Of her people are weak
oned from undertaking and disease.
Besides. her government is under
going great changes; just how strong
tho existing government Is and TO what
extent her leaders are really aotuated
by democratic principles, Is hard TO as
certain. The presence In the govern
ment Of not a few one-tlme loyallsts
and supporters Of the Kaiser regime
looks rather suspicious.
"Many OF the German States. as you
know. have for months been torn by
civil war carried on between the gov
eminent forces and the Spartacans or
extreme radicals. No one seems 90 |
know either 90 what extent the exist ]
ing Russian Government Is influence
ing affairs IN Germany or what sort OF
new alliances the future VIII bring |
forth despite the safeguards Of The Al |
lies. which now seem adequate.
zone thing Is sure, not much pro-
Rress can be made In the building up |
OF Germany's Industries and trade I'M
Oh the fractional strife is ended and pro-
visions are made for getting food and |
other necessities 10 the German peo-
pie, Of which they are now in dire
need
I'VE viii watch Germany's future
with interest. All liberal people realize
that the German nation remains a
big factor. az least numerically. in the
world and II her leaders and people
really show a sincere desire 10 atone