Omaha daily bee., 1919-12-23

distorted your point Of view. 1t is
not only Gernany that is broken
1t is all Europe.
THE so-cafled crime OF Yer.
sailles,'" he went on, 'is not the
harshness of the peace terms under
which Germany must stagger, but
the Balkanization of all Europe
the results of which must work to
the undoing of France and Belgium
and Italy no less than to Germany
True. Crime of Versailles.
"It is sadly to be, regretted that
President Wilson and those of his
countrymen who are animated by
equally idealistic motives could not
have become acquainted with the
small peoples they have fought SO
valiantly and for whom they have
won the right of self determination.
"One has only to look at America
to realize that Americans could
have easily graspcd the real signif-
canoe of the true crime of Versailles
had anyone there thought to 'cora-
pare these small Balkan nations
with the African descendants, OF
whom 100000 inhabit the states.
Germany has been .Europc's 5
arch keystone and now it is de-
stroyed. The destruction is not like
the German destruction of northern
France and Of Belgium, for repara-
ton is possible in those cases-and
mot only possible, but will be done,
Destruction is Irreparable.
"In the case of Europe, and espe
cially the European keystone, the
destruction is complete and irrepa-
rable. That is the crime of Yer
sailles, For, once having been>done,
it can never be undone-by all the
notifications in the world.
"One cannot give people self
determination and liberty and ma
tionality only to take it away from
them. The Balkanization of Europe
is IN accomplished fact. Grea;
powers, strong within themselves
and adapted by centuries of expeii-
ence to deal with these turbulent
groups of individuals unified for
self-government, have suddenly been
robbed of their strength.
Races of humans whose moral
and mental status is primitive, are
suddenly thrust into positions of
power they are incompetent to exer-
else.
France is Broken.
THE economic condition of Ger
many is no worse (if as bad as) that
Of England, France or Italy. Po-
tentially Germany is in better shape
than any of themAfcr German labor
will work.
France is broken along with 'he
rest OF Europe, but France Io .sll't
know it. England is broken.-and
does know there"
And with the last word Rathca.n
indicated his forehead.
Germany" he went ON is broken,
aad knows it here pointing to his
forehead, "and here, pointing to his
stomach .f
"And in its knowledge lies Ger
,nany's strength.
"But at best it is only relative, ;r,s
matter o. strengtln-al' Europe IS as
nothing compared with America AID
Japan at the momeil'
Worlds Three Youths.
"What is of greater importance
is that there is no possibility of the
recuperation of Europe. We are too
old, all of us. We must give place
to youth. And the worlds three
youths now are America, Russia
and Japan.
What does it matter hat the
Russia of today. is in state OF
chaos? Wise men ignore today i'll
contemplation of history's tomor-
row.
"The Russia of 2l0O is not going
to be in state of chaos. 1t is go
ing to be one of the worlds great
powers. By that time the present
Europe will not exist at all, except
in the sense that Holland or a
Montenegro exists-by and with the
consent of the dominant nations.
Egland also will have gone to her
grave--a respectable death 1T ripe
old age. And then
Inevitable Conflict.
"The inevitable conflict must
come!
"The outcome of that conflict can
be determined by the way events
are shaped in the next few years.
1T depends absolutely and wholly
on Americas attitude in this period,
1Q2O-1o3O. whether it, with Russia