Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-09-05
nY pAuL d. cnAvArlI.

new YORK. Sept. i-I nave been
asked 10 make public summary OF.
tho answers 10 a series OF Iucstlon
regarding my Impressions o: condi-
. toms in Germany that recently
sa"c 10 small group o: friends.
y correct understanding OF Ger
manys problems is essential to ,hc
working out OF any program for the
economic regeneration o! Europe.
unui I visited Germany had no
realization OF the. !nadcgGary OF my
many or how difficult IL is for an
american. dominated, as most OF us
are. Sy strong sympathics for the
allies, 10 approach the consideration
% Gcrmany's problems IN an !npar-
tlal and judicial spirit
During N? TWO visits 10 Berlin At
tn" end os July aud the bcginnn. .
oil August talked not only with
great many Germans In and out
~ Official ne. omt with weil-!ntormnd
phpcr correspondents. directors OF re-
lief organizations and members %.
Tho allied missions who were deal
yhe treaty OF Versailles.
My most proh,atic talks were with
zines; Dresel, the head OF the. Amer.
.can, coinnizsion. also obtained
oNpc!ts during the week ] cpcnt al
spa. al the suggestion OF friends in
me SiIitu tlISNlOHt 30 give lNsm W y
Impressions Of conditions in Ger
many as bearing upon the problem
% indcmnit!es
Germans Arc Inrrpentnnt.
Nrc the Germans rcpcniant?
My answer TO this question is no.
y by repentance IL meant .acknowi-
cdameni that Gormany was culpa rs
serves any greater blame than the
"ih"r warning nations for the mise y
which II brought to Europe. Outside
n NlIsh .af- - - L.
"liI aic OF Germans OF all classes
seem TO hc nrm!y convinced that
'icrmauy fought defensive war
which VAS forced unom her. hy the
ambitions or the Gordon Of enemy
nations ny which she was sur
rounded.
~ {; seems 10 uS is 50 deeply i'm
h"ddcd IN the mind and hear; OF mos,
mcrinanS that discussion IS useless
Th" Germans believe that their en-
"GiieT. after having won the war tina.
was started for the purpose of de-
stro?inS Germany. have been seek
!hcir work OF dcstruc,ion against q
HELPLESS people by the ruthless en-
iorcomeni Of treaty which they he
i%Ts to- TO be ,gsr osS breach Of 'hC
"as concluded and without parable,
"a modern History for harshncss and
H'nr"sard OF the fundamental prin.
c,plcs of humanity and Justice
u ynu speak OF the crucItics prac.
ticrd hy inc Germans in their con.
iurt OF tho war. they answer by tho
III" ruthlessncss Of the submarin.
warfare AZ tho browning instance o:
irnssihn cruelty, they rc;ort VIII
ihple retaliation for the more cruc
hIockadc methods pvacticcd by their
enemies, which were condcmninE IN.
Hoincn ana children OF Germany &c
death by starvation.
Alterations of Germans
e.npnasizc these strange aberra.
~ prejudice against the Germans
'ht because they lie at the Yer,
hase Of Tic present attitude of the
WITH 'ori, ans y, toward the rest OF In,
%irtuous people. who. after an bcro;"
~, unsuccessful struggle for self.
psuaerNa,ioh IN defensive war, ara
now az the mercy of triumphant and
Nindiciivc enemies "''u
20 rhe Germans realize that they
Emphatically. YES Tho
ness OF their defeat and their ut,cr
dependence upon the goodwin and
nlcrcS OIL theii enemies now seem IN
ne realized among all classes of the
Are tho Germans likely to attem,t
- :" organize for another great E;u :
My answer is no. certainty SO far
rerncd. The German PEOPLE, while
n@' repentant. arc convinced not only
o! Inc completeness Of their defeat.
nut OF the folly OF their mi!itarisiic
leaders, Of The futiliiv OF war and of
lnc dangers of tho Prussian military
system do not believe that tho
G"rman people could he forced TO
msht an aggressive war so long as
living men and women remember tho
horrors or The late war
recent Versailles Treaty
what is Germany's attitude toward
Inc treaty OF Versailles?
~ rs apparent that tho German ma :
ION goes not regard the treaty Of
Versailles as morally binding. This
new prevails even in high circles
Innir view is that tho treaty was n
violation of the terms Of tho armisa
Ilrc. was framed by bitter enemic.
ilhout giving the German states.
men hearing. is nredlessiy mine,
ma harsh In its terms, and Is notoN
,rr'nusiy incapable Of pcrformancn
,n"y say it was signed by Tia Cor.
i"3n delegates under duress ss tho
Only means of obtaining peace and
Win fnll notice to the world tbat
many or It's provisions were incnpohje
% enforcement. and that the German
, government and people could NOT do
more than attc;nDt such partial nor.
iormanco as might prove possibIc
owing 10 the undoubted fact that
many OF the provisions Of tho trcafv
arc inca pablo OF performance NAV he
cH--rInnled the Sacknowlndgcd failure
(Continuas, ~assixth Page.)