Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-11

A MOTHER week Of German dis
~ order has served to confirm
the earlier impressions, which
l have analysed in by article
OF last Sunday. More and more the
EBERT government has been led to
rely upon the old military group for
It's real support. and with this prog
ress of policy the return of the mill
tary party to actual control has been
unmistakable, save only in western
Germany. and notably in the Ruhr
coal basin. Since 1t is from this same
Ruhr coal basin that France must
draw her coal contributions, provided
under the treaty Of Versailles, it is
plain that the domestic disorder in
Germany at once has an international
aspect.
But there is a much more impor-
tant international aspect. Quite as
was to be expected, the Germans have
selzed upon the recent counter revo-
luton, provoked by the military ele-
ments. as basis for the claim that
Germany should not be forced to dis.
arm, as was provided in the treaty Of
Versailles. Thus the situation comes
down to this: The military party.
hopeful Of regaining complete control
OF Germany, provoked a domestic re-
volt. In the course of this revolt
they were checked by the proclama-
ton of general strike. After the
check there was corresponding activ-
ity of the liberal democratic radical
elements. Now the military party in
sists that this radical activity war
rants maintaining the army at a
strength forbidden at Paris.
French Alone Understand.
Such a maneuver should be too OBJ
vious to deceive and yet It Is plain
certain allied countries. Only the
French. nearest at hand and best in
formed about German conditions as a
consequence, have at last taken a hrm
stand, refused to be deceived by the
German maneuver, declined to per-
init German troops. led by the old
military crowd. to occupy the Ruhr
region, in defiance Of the treaty of
Paris and similarly declined to per-
nit the Germans to delay demobili-
Zatfon by reason of existing distur bed
conditions in Germany.
French policy is clear. The French
have always in mind the success OF
Prussia, after the defeat at Jena in
the Napoleonic time, in lodging the
restrictions placed upon her military
establishme nt, and by hook and crook
building up that army which played
decisive part both in the battle OF
Leipzig and that of Waterloo. French
security can only be attained If the
Germany military machine Is scrap
ped, If the German military forces are
reduced to very moderate limits. But
despite the fact that we are now
nearly eighteen months away from
the armistice Of Rethondes, which
ended the lighting, and almost year
distant from the delivery of the peace
terms to the Germans, no real dis
armament has taken place In Ger
many. On one pretext and another
large bodies Of troops have been kept
standing in Germany and new lorna
ttons-Noske's army. for example
have been raised. Always this process
of evading the treaty provisions has
been explained as necessary. In view
of the peril Of bolshevism.
Thus the German has sought oy
continued use of the specter OF the
into permitting him to maintain his
military strength. Now the Kapp rev.
olution, which was in reality a move
ON the part of the old military crowd
to regain complete control. mas once
more supplied the, German with ar
defend his course in maintaining
large army and in occupying regions
near the Rhine, two actions Wnlcn
constitute very important fnvasions
of the provisions Of the treaty OF YER
sailles.
British and Americans Stampeded.
More than this, the German has been
successful in persuading the BRUSH.
the French-of course. Italian SYM
pathy with the German military ele-
ments goes without saying-that sucn
a policy is essential to the preserva-
tion of economic order in Germany
and to the prevention of the spread OF
hn1shevism all over Central Europe.
Frankly. the British and the Americans
have been "staInpeded" by their dread
of bolshevism into playing the Potsoam
game, with the result that now, only
few months after the end OF the war
which was to destroy the Prussian
military system, the British ana tne
Americans are at least sympatnetic
with a policy which would save tnis
same system.
The French. on the contrary. have
penetrated the Prussfan policy. Iney
see clearly that the first objective OF
the Germans Of the old order must De
to save their army. to save their OLD
system Of which the army Is at once
the symbol and the CHIEF bulWark.
They see with equal clarity that Tor
them the preservation OF this MILL
tary machine may easily be as 1a!al
as was the similar salvation OF the
Prussian machine for Napoleon q little
more than q century ago.
So much for the practical side. SO
far as the French are concerned, put
there is an even more important side.
It is a matter Of common agreement