Evening star., 1920-02-22
DOUBTS ABILITY OF us. 81,
COPE WITH EUROPE
Frank H. Simonds Discusses Allies Con-
Aict Over Issues Growing Out of
the Treaty of Versailles.
BIZ FRANK II. SIMONDs.

treaty of Versailles has broken
down, its revision has become
the clear demand of the two great
European nations who in association
with US won the war: but the direc-
tion this revision should take is
totally different in French and in
British minds. Moreover, it is from
British quarters that the demand for
the American return to Europe is
most insistent.
! To begin at the beginning, it is clear
that the world war was the result Of
! German aggressions, France was actu-
ally assailed by German declaration
of war, Britain menaced alike in her
security and her honor by the inva-
sion of Belgium and the attack upon
France. Such being the conceded fact.
we may agree that there are two
things which France and Britain were
entitled to look for in the treaty of
peace ending the war which was for
them victorious - namely. security
against a new aggression and repara-
tion for the destruction Of property by
the Germans in the course Of their
unprovoked assault upon their neigh
bors.
Security for Britain.
now, by the treaty Of Versailles.
britain obtained security in this fash
ION; the elimination of the German
| meet was ordered; in addition the Ger
man colonies. which had been used
as the bases for attacks upon the
6ritish t; colonies. and were in addi-
Tor building German empire beyond
the seas on the ruins Of the British
empire. were. in the main, taken from
Germany' ,y' an act which represented
security and placed in British hands.
which represented reparation. OF
course, am speaking Of the title to
these colonies; the British were in
possession when the war ended.
Tnus Britain obtained absolute Sc
curity against German naval rivalry,
against colonial attack, and she also
acquired very valuable real estate. In
ADDITION, she procured the destruction
OF Germany's naval base at HelfEo-
land and Of the fortifications Of her
haroors. Security thus went to the
length Of disarming her foe, who lies
completely at the mercy Of the British
meet, both as to intercourse with the
world by sea and in the matter of
poI.s finaily, to the reparation in
cident to the acquisition Of the Ger
man colonies, there was added the
ALLEGATION Of the larger portion Of
the German merchant marine, to bal
ance the depredations of the German
sha hSomarns: ari1;s There also remains. to
participate in the money indemnity.
to be hxed later, to the extent of
many millions. but this is for the mo-
ment immaterial.
BY virtue of the treaty of Versailles.
then. Britain did, in fact, acquire Sc
curity which was absolute, and in ad-
dition in tonnage anu colonies things
OF great money value, chargeable to
reparation directly and indirectly.
No legitimate criticism can be leveIed
at the British for insisting upon these
things, they were entitled to them in
view OF the circumstances of the out.
kbreak Of the war; the character of the
campaign wased by the Germans and.
disclosed during the war.
FreneA Desires.
But in the Paris conference. the
French were faced at once by the
opposition Of both the United States
and Great Britain to the French es-
tfmate fof- what constituted security.
All french soldiers. most French
statesmen. agreed that France could
only be secure against later German
attack II the Rhine barrier were held
against the German.
The French did not propose annex
alton outright. but they advocated
the creation Of q buffer state, guar
anteed by the three allies, Britain.
France and the United States; they
only proposed annexation. or rather
occupation. which would in the
end amount to annexation. provided
would not guarantee this Rhine bar
lrier. Moreover. when Lloyd George
and Pre8tdent Wilson did guarantee
1t, by tho terms Of the Anglo French
American treaty. the French with
drew all demands to annexation or to
occupation beyond that time neces-
sary to enforce German compliance
with the treaty OF Versailles.
But 1t must be observed that the
French resignation Of the Rhine bar
ditional. not absolute; it was condi-
toned upon the pledge Of the Presi-
dent and the prime minister to pro-
vide substitute which should in all
respects constitute as good a guaran-
tee Of French security. The French
asking them to. abandon their claims
for security, while the British claims
were fully and completely met by the
treaty provisions.
reparation, the French asked both
money indemnities. to- reconstruct
their ruined regions, as Britain had
asked money payments for far less
direct injuries, and they asked the
title to the Sarre valley coal mines.
in compensation for the destruction
Of the Lens mines by the Germans
and the occupation by them of the
district for . period OF time, their
evacuation to be followed by a Pile
biscite to determine whether the in
habitants preferred independence of
the sort Luxembourg possesses. union
with France or a return to Germany.
| In the first place, the French asked
i annexation outright, but they were
Il again faced with the British and
1 American opposition and compelled
/! to compromise.
l But it will be seen that ships and
Sarre valley fall into the same cate
| CORY. in the sense that both are Inn
| mediate German payments for Ger
man destruction. Moreover, the Brit
dition, they acquired the title to the
German colonies. which represented
/ valuable real estate. The French, on
the other hand. found that both in
the matter of security and in the
matter Of immediate reparation;
without qualification. French de.
mands, based on greater peril and
| vastly larger losses, were at once
modified.
! Freneh RepaRation.
So much for the examination Of the
| situation in the past. The review
may be concluded by the statement
reparation was included in the finan-
cial clauses Of the treaty. but the
certainty Of repayment depended upon
many contingent circumstances All
1 that the French could be sure OF was
what they occupied. =! make no men.
was the view Of all the allied nations, |
written into the armistice. that this
constituted not reparation, but resti- |
tuition, the return to France OF some |
thing which had been stolen. 1t was
not a concession to security, nor to |
L hvvt q NJ