The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1920-04-09

line drawn fifty killometers to the east
of the Rhine.
43. In the area defined above the
maintenance and the assembly of
armed forces, either permanently or
temporarily, and military movements
of any kind, as well as the upkeep of
all permanent works for mobilization,
are in the same way forbidden.
A. In case Germany violates in any
manner whatever the provisions of
articles AZ and AZ she shall be regard
ed as committing a hostile act against
the powers signatory of the present
treaty and as calculated to disturb
the peace of the world.
These provisions are very plain and
definite, and the Ruhr basin being
within the forbidden territory, the
sending of troops into that district
for any purpose seems clearly to be a
literal violation of the treaty. But
any fair judgment of the situation is
impossible without definite knowl-
edge of the facts that enter into it.
The German Government and the
maintenance of any constitutional
government in Germany, have seemed
to be seriously menaced by the work.
ers' uprising in the Ruhr district. 1t
was matter of the utmost impor-
lance to the establishment of stable
conditions in Germany and to the task
of suppressing the whole Communist
movement in that country that the
uprising in the Ruhr basin be crush
ed. And the triumph of constitutional
government, with the stabilizing OF
German industry, are matters of
great Importance to the welfare of
the powers signatory to the treaty,
and, indeed, to the whole world. 1t
would seem to be the part of wisdom
for the powers to give Germany NOR
al support in its efforts to establish
itself on firm constitutional basis,
if from no other consideration but
self-interest. The government is held
responsible for the maintenance of
order in the district which, it is not
permitted to enter with a military
force, and how can it suppress re-
bellion in that region without such
force? If it was genuine uprising
and it seemed to be genuine and was
apparently considered genuine every
where save in France-the govern
ment had either to suppress it or to
succumb to it, in the absence of any
effort at police control by the allies.
But France seems to be convinced
that it is all camoufage, mere de-
vice to excuse the military occupation
of the territory, contrary to the terms
of the treaty, and it may be that France
has information that justifies that
view. Butt is difficult to see what
purpose the German Government
could have in such movement, if the
French idea is correct. 1t is entirely
credible that the Germans would like
to see the treaty overthrown, but it is
not credible that Germany now is in
condition to make any attempt to ov-
erthrow it by force of arms. 1t would
seem that duplicity of another sort,
concealed, would be the obvious course
of action in the present situation Of
the Germans, if they have any such
purpose as the deliberate notification
of the treaty. Time and world condi-
tons are unconsciously conspiring ev-
en- now to aid them in the modifica-
ton Of the terms of the treaty. Why,
then, should they seek to arouse again
the anger of the victorious powers by
a deliberate physical violation of
treaty provisions 1t would seem to
be unwise to the point Of childishness.
But, on the other hand, if the Red up
rising was genuine, what other course
could the government have taken,