Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-03-16

living upon the war bonus which the
German government guaranteed to un-
employed soldiers. Moreover in most
large German cities these soldiers ana
their families are feeding at mess
kitchens. Some industries are going
on part time but for the most part,
although the factories are open. genu-
inc industrial animation Is suspended.
Opinions differ as to the cause of this
suspended animation A distinguished
German economist. who before the war
was professor in a New England
University and who was invited to
/ leave America because Of his Ger
! mar activities, declares that the war
bonus is keeping the workmen from
work. He contends that they are loaf
ing on the job, and he rather defi-
nitely fears Bolshevism in Germany.
Strikes are occurring in many indus
tries. And while on the surface OF
things Germany is proceeding in an
orderly manner, underneath Is a vast
unrest which may produce anarchy.
And curiously enough one Of the things
which may produce anarchy Is poll
teal; it will be q large war bill from
| the allies.
For the Germans have not been
told the truth by the new gov
eminent about the responsibility
! Of their former government for
| the war. Neither have the German
(, people been told that their army
was defeated, and that the terms
Of the arnistice were the terms
Of the victor to the vanquishsd.
| And when the terms Of the peace
| are broken to all Germany-high
| and low alilke-when II 10 known
that simple justice requires the
| loss Of AIsace and Lorraine and
the German colonies and per-
! haps the coal areas of the Saar,
and on top of that bill for war
damages on land and sea, the
Germans will feel that they were
lured into an armistice, then dis
armed and then robbed. In that
case, they will refuse to pay.
CAN'T MAKE EN- PAY,
Now, when a nation, disarmed and
defenseless, refuses to pay debt, what
can the debtor nation do? Send in an
army to collect the debt? Surely, but
from whom? How? In a letter to a
paper in Holland, a German professor
writing of the situation facing Ger
many, and realizing in spite Of his
protests the justice of the impending
bill which Germany will have to face
declares that Germany cannot and
will not pay it. He says that If the
bill is enforced Germany will go Boil
shevik. For Germany" he writes
always has before her the classic ex-
| xxyIn iy1
and shame, pulled down the temple
upon himself. but in SO doing did. as
a matter of fact destroy his enemies
And the professor intimates that the
victory which was denied to Germany
may be thus vouchsafed to her In
peace! For Bolshevism Is So
cial disease; If it attacks Germany
nothing can keep 1t out of the rest OF
Europe. There can be no doubt thai
Germany would prefer to take hel
chances amid the wreck Of European
civilization, rather than to find herself
so heavily handicapped by a just wal
debt she would be 10 years behind the
rest of Europe in the race for the
worlds markets. Thus will it be seer
that letting go the tail of the bear is
no easy job.
1t is hard to realize how Europe Is
lettering on the edge of Bolshevism
One finds rowing bands of bandits liv-
ing in old trenches and dugouts in
northern France and Belgium; for the
first time in hundred years, one en-
counters robbers in woods remote from
great cities. Now and then slow
train filled with food is boarded b.
| nlY
trains of food have been pillaged, anG
on docks and in railroad yards foot
and cloth sometimes-not often, but
acknowledgement Strikes are
common all over Europe, serious
i strik es, which tie up transportation an6