, 1920-03-18
great purpose of %annexing. or recov-
ering, Bessarabia.

SIeul purpose OF anDeS1nR, OF TeCON-
ering. Bessarabia.
The supreme council of the allies.
taking note of the distressing state Of
the world In general, has issued a
memorandum on economic conditions
that is welcomed by all serious mind
ed persons. For the preservation Of
civilization 1T urges, as might be ex-
pected. the early int complete res
toration of peace conditions, with nor
NAL economic relations, reduction of
armies to a peace footing and llmita-
ton of ornaments; the encourage
ment Of larger and better output by
workers everywhere; the suppression
of extravaganza, n defiation of
credit and currency; and assistance
for countries that are now unprOduc-
tive for lack of raw materials. With
out any suggestion of mitigating the
treaty terms 1t is stated that Germany
and especially Austria must be en-
abled to obtain foodstuffs and raw
materials in order that they may re-
cover enough to pay the indemnity
demanded of them, and 1t Is declared
that the total of the reparation must
be fixed at the earliest possible time.
There is even a suggestion that Ger
many should be allowed to raise an
international loan to meet her imme-
date needs. In this proposed line of
conduct toward the vanquished ma
tions the supreme council is facing the
facts with business calculation, not
with sentimental feelings.
If there had been any tendency
toward treating Germany with more
tenderness 1t probably would have
been %dispelled by the many attacks
made last week by Germans on army
officers and others Of the allies in the
country on official business. These
outrages took place In Berlin and sew
eral other cities and were deliberate
and seemingly planned. The Berlin
government deplores them and prom
ises to punish the offenders, among
whom is Prince Joachim Albrecht,
cousin of the former kaiser.
Minister of Defense Noske has been
telling correspondents how scrupulous-
ly Germany has been carrying out the
terms of the treaty by reducing her
military and naval strength, but there
are other things the government has
not done yet. Among these is the APP
plication of the promised penalties for
the outrages suffered by officers of the
interallied commission of the Baltic
states during the German evacuation
of that region. The conference of al
lied ambassadors has sent to Berlin a
firmly worded note demanding that
this pledge be carried out at once.
At frequent intervals the opposing
forces in the senate rave entered on
what is described by the Washington
correspondents as the decisive strug-
gle over the peace treaty Of Versailles.
At this writing they are engaged in
another of those combats, and the
prospect Is hat this time 1t really will
be decisive. Early in the week Presi-
dent Wilson, rather than to confer
with a representative of the compro-
misers, wrote a long letter to Senator
Hitchcock in which he reasserted his
old position regarding the treaty, con-
demned the reservations as a nullif-
cation of the League of Nations cove
nant and pleaded for consideration of
the needs of humanity instead Of "spe-
cial national interests" He demand
ed that article 10 be accepted I'M
changed and asserted hat to refuse to
accept the mora obligation required
by 1t would be a breach Of good faith.
II the United States cannot enter the
league with full responsibility, he said,
1t should retire gracefully from the
great concert of powers. Article 10,
said the president, represents the re-
n%unciation by the other great powers
of their old imperialistic ideas and
aims, and its doctrine is the essence
of Americanism. He continued
"Militaristic ambitions and imperial
istic policies are by no means dead,
even in the councils Of the nations
whom we most trust and with whom
we most desire to be associated In the
tasks of peace" And then he added
the surprising statement that the mill
taristic party of France which was
prevented from getting the upper hand
during the peace conference is in o n
troll there now. In evident allusion to
Vincent Grey's letter. he says he is
mot willing to trust to the counsel Of
diplomats the working out Of any sal
walton of the world from things which
1t has suffered"