El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-05-08

: pean nations associated with us in
Z the war, contributed $4,000. 600 00o,
I to the cause OF restoring Germany,
1 this Sl0,000.000,e0o, in fact. to be de-
[ Quoted from the sum total OF Ger
I man payments. No one can mistake
/ the resentment this proposal excited
[ wherever in the United States it was
understood.
Now at san Reno a wiser policy
seems 70 have been adopted. The
/ attempt 70 save European economic
Z life by restoring Germany at the eN-
pense OF all the nations attacked by
Z her, save only Britain. has been re-
/ jected- Instead. the conference has
adopted the Tar wiser policy OF COM
pellinE Germany to give evidence Of
Z a willingness TO perform, insofar as
she can, under the Versailles docu-
ment and leaving to the future the
determination OF how Tar honest ef-
fcrt 10 perform discloses the treaty
as unworkable.
Aside from It's effect upon the na-
tons associated with Great Britain
in the alliance which won the war,
the worst feature OF the British
agitation was the degree TO which
II encouraged the Germans to refuse
70 comply with the treaty in any
respect Actually the result Of the
attempt 10 save Germany econ
omically has been to give aid and
comfort 10 precisely those elements
war, gave to the struggle its in
human character and caused those
devastations and distractions for
which Germany is now asked TO pay.
Want Germany Restored.
On the subject OF the necessity TO
help TO restore the economic life OF
Germany there Is no wide difference
Of opinion anywhere in the world
The French, quite as much as the
British, would be glad 20 see Ger
many going back to normal life with
the same promptltude which France
displayed after 1870. Germany,
complying with the terms OF the
treaty OF Versailles as loyalty as the
French complied with those OF the
treaty OF Frankfort. would be for the
French the most pleasing Of all posi-
bic prospetNs
But the difficulty has been and
remains that Germany has not ac-
cepted the treaty OF Versailles. In
stead. from the outset. she has
adopted policy which varies be-
tween passive resistance and open
defiance. Conceded that there are
portions Of the treaty whoih are un-
enforceable. Il Is not less true that
there are portions which the whole
world agrees should be enforced. But
IL is precisely these provisions which
the world believes should be applied
that the Germans are most eagerly
seeking 10 evade, particularly the
disarmament clauses
Could Gain Concessions.
The mood OF the world is quite dif-
ferent from the prevailing sentiment
Of 1913. II IS g matter OF common
agreement that Germany could OBJ
tain from her conquerors very real
and very great concessions. provided
only she displayed the smallest evil
dence OF any Willingness to accept Z
the decision OF the war. 20 abandon .
her old leaders and her old policies
But II the world undeniably feels
less bitter toward the German peo-
pie TO-DAY, than it did year or two I
years ago. Il does not feel more
kindly toward the military leaders Of
the Junker policy. And precisely I
these elements and these policies re- I
tain ascendancy in Germany, as Wit
messed by recent events. The republic I
remains the willing or the unwilling
prisoner, IL hardly matters much
which. OF the military element.
The British agitation 10 modify the
treaty has resulted, not in any con-
comitant modification Of German
spirit, but in a rebirth OF the old
spirit The more the Manchester
school has denounced the treaty, the
more the Ludendorffs have gained in
assurance. Manchester has. in fact,
and not for the first time in its
history, played the role which John
Randolph once described IN our own
politics as the alliance between the
Puritan and the sBlackbaE" although
in this case IL has been the partner
ship between the pacificist and the
Prussian.
Opposition in England.
Il Is a mistake 70 associate this
school with British
sentiment as a whole, 70 believe that
the British nation as a unit. has en-
braced the selfishness which has
been expressed by Keynes and the
rest Of them, Z selfishness which Is
expressed IN the Idea that Germany
must be saved IL IL takes the last
French franc and no modest portion
Of the American dollars remaining
available On the contrary very
earnest and honest voices have been
raised IN Britain against this policy
and not a few Englishmen have ap-
preciated the peril such a course had
for British reputation in world.
Lloyd George at san Reno has at
last taken note Of this British op-
position and has returned 10 the
logical and inevitable basis OF requir-
ing Germany 10 take the first step
and give the first evidence OF good
faith. OF a real intention 10 perform
within the limits Of possibility II
this policy endures the Anglo-French
entente Will survive and Germany
will find economic health. Any other
policy Is fore doomed 10 failure be-
cause the French, having due re-
gard alike for their own security and
solvency, will, as they can. block all
attempts TO restore a defiant Ger
many at thei- expense in the present
and TO their deadly peril in the