The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-03-16
Is Looked Upon as More
Theory Than Fact and
Was to Be Expected
SOME CRITICIZE
TERMS OF PEACE
Declare Their Harshness Has Driven
the Germans Into Revolt-Thought
Wealthy Germans Desire to Evade
Peace Burdens.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
lCopyright BY The Reformerl.

Copyright BY The Reformer)
WASHINGTON, March l6.-Plenty OIL
theory but not much fact. That's the
most that can be said thus far concern
ing Washiigton's opinion of the new
German revolution.
Where the wish is father to the thought,
the upheaval in Germany is regarded nat
urally as confirmation and justification Of
The large variety of opinions exp essed ON
capitol hill during the last twelve months
of treaty discussion. Wilson defenders
say it proves that the President was
right when he said that chaos would come
10 Europe ii America withheld her hand
from the enforcement of the peace
treaty's obligations; former President
Taft, not exactly Wilson apologist but
a staunch friend of the treaty and league
of nations, says the same thing.
But the rreconciliable opponents of the
treaty and league call the German revo-
luton an internal affair entirely di-
vorced both in cause and effect from the
peace treaty Information thus far avail
able at the department CT state would
seem to bear out this view TO a certain
extent. The revolution does appear on
the face of official cables received to have
been motivated by the desire Of the
monarchists and reactionaries to get back
into power, something that was inevi.
table no matter what happened outside OF
Germany. No party that once held pow
err either imperial republican, democrat
ic, or autocratic is ever content to stay
outside the gates of the treasure house
as long as there is a chance to get on The
inside.
Put while friends of the treaty insist
none Of this German trouble would have
happened il the league of nations had
been set up, implacable foes Of the pact
say it is a direct consequence of ths
"crue and harsh terms of peace I'M
posed upon Germany which is the way
Senator Philander G. Knox, of Pennsyi
vana, himself former secretary OF state
expressed it several months ago only 4
he denounced Immediately as a pro- Ger
man. But recent expressions and com
mcnts from Great Britain have indicated
that the sober second thought OF tn
peace-makers has been one OF apprehen
sion that they may have imposed upol
the vanquished foe terms of peace whlci
made it impossible for him to earn tn
money to pay his indemnity.
Indeed, not a few people here look upol
the German revolution as the skllltul plo
of the wealthy classes in Germany, VIII
would bear the greatest burden OF tn
indemnity to get out from under. A
ready the new Berlin government has SC
itself up as a judge Of what terms 10
the treaty it will fulfl-Those tina
seem lust and reasonable" This a vi
tual hint of notification, and is adm
teddy having a disqueting effect here re
the truth is the associated powers al
not in a position Immediately to mai
Germany pay America has about i3,Ol
troops on the Rhine. England has n'
many more. France has scarcely 10000
In different parts of Germany are mar
hundreds of thousands OF troops, lars
numbers of whom are mobiizcd. III
Germany is without munitions and mi
tary opinion here seems to DOUBT th
she is counting fresh trouble with Il
allies on the Rhine. 1t is rather
analogy to the situation in Russia VIII
the Bolsheviks agreed to he treaty
Brest.Litovsk and assumed an attitude
massive resistance to the enforcement
ts terms.
It would cost the allies good d.
to enforce peace upon Germany. AVID
government OF the latter probably kno