Republican farmer., 1919-05-30

or in history.
 "The Allied and associated powers cannot accept the speculative es- umate presented to them in the Ger man note on the future conditions of German industry as a whole. This estimate appears to them to be char acterized and vitiated by palpable exaSgeration. No note is taken of the fact that economic disaster promised by the war is widespread, and, in- deed, universal Every country is called upon to suffer. There is no reason why Germany. which was re- sponsible for the war, should not suffer also.
 Similarly, as regards the popula- tion of the future, no reliance can be placed on the date which are con- tained in the German note. On the one hand, it is sought to prove that emigra ton from Germany would be necessary, but that few countries will receive the emigrants. On the other hand 1t is sought to show that there will be a flood of Germans returning to their native land and live under the conditions which have already been described as intolerable. It will be unwise to attach too much weight to either speculation.
 Finally, the German note rashly asserts that the peace conditions will logically bring about the destruc- ton Gloss in origina1) of several mil lions of persons in Germany in ad- dition to those who have perished in the war or who are alleged to have lost their lives in consequence of the blockade Against the war losses of Germany might be placed the far greater losses which her initiative and conduct of the war have inflicted upon the Allied countries and which have left an uneffaceable mark upon the manhood of Europe On the other hand, the figures and the losses al ! legged to have been caused by the 1 blockade are purely hypothetical ! The German estimate of future losses | could be accepted only if the premises | accepted also.
 But they are entirely faIlacious There is not the slightest reason to | believe that a population is destined to be permanently disabled because it | will be called upon in future to trade | across its frontiers instead of pro- | ducing what it requires from within. A country can both become and can continue to be a. great manufacturing country without producing the raw materials of it's main industries Such | is the case, for instance, with Great Britain, which imports at least one- ! half of her food supplies and the great, preponderance of her raw ma terials from abroad There is no req son whatever why Germany under the new conditions should not build up for herself a position both of sta bility and prosperity in the European world. Her territories have suffered less than these of any other conti- mental belligerent state during the war. Indeed. so far as piliage or de- vastation is concerned, they have not suffered at all.
 The German reply also ignores the
 belief that would cause her people to
 be more hopeful in the reduction of
 her military arms"
 ! No result should be more satis-
 factory to the German people.
 But the first condition of any l such recuperation would appea.. to be
 that Germany should recognize the
 facts of the present state of the
 world. which she has been nanny in-
 strumental in creating. and realize
 that she cannot escape unscathed
 The share which she is being called
 upon to bear of the enormous cal
 amity that has befallen the world has
 been apportioned by the powers sole
 ,y to her ability to bear it.
 "A1l the nations of Europe are suf-
 fering from losses and are bearing
 and will continue to bear burdens
 which are almost more than they can
 carry. These burdens and losses have
 been forced upon them by the aggres-
 sion of Germany. It is right that
 Germany. which is responsible for the
 origin of these calamities, should
 make them good to the utmost of her
 capacity. Her hardship will arise
 not from the conditions of peace, but
 from the acts of those who provoked
 and prolonged the war. Those. who l were responsible for the war cannot escape It's just cause.~