The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-04-10
TO PUNISH THE UNBORN.

Maj.-Gen- Francis v. Greene. re-
tired, prepared for the New York
Times o few weeks ago a statement
OF what he considered to be the pur-
poses OF the treaty OF peace. and In 1t
he did some very plain speaking as
to what were the objects OF the war
from his point Of Wow. and how he
thought affairs In Europe should be
rearranged. As an exposition OF
what 10 In the minds of good many
people Of similar training and en-
vironment we reprint just a few par
agraphs;
ITO all English speaking people.
not blinded by German sympathy.
these facts are indlsputable. viz:
that economic strength Is the prin-
cipal factor In modern war; that
Germany and France were equal In
economic strength. as in population,
fifty years ago, but that Germany is
now immensely superior to France
not only In population but In eco
nomic strength, due largely to the
economic resources of the territory
which Germany took from France
after q successful war; that between
Germany and France thoro has been
Intense rivalry for centuries and not
infrequent wars; that tho German
people, no less than the imperial
government, conscious of their eco
nomic as well as their military
power. determined to crush France.
and as their writer's expressed 1t,
remove her forever from our path:
that with France crushed. tho chan
mel ports OF Belgium and France in
their possession, and the economic
control of central Europe from the
North sea and the Baltic to the Black
sea and the Mediterranean. they
would dictate the policy OF the
world.
"Their attempt TO carry out this
program by military force resulted
In their Overwhelming defeat. and
the problem before the conference Mt
Paris was to formulate q treaty
which so far as human foresight
could anticipate would make this
program Forever impossible. The
fundamental requirement, then, was
so to decrease the economic strength
OF Germany and increase that OF
France as to bring these two nations
nearer TO an equality; and az a fur
Their guarantee to insure this eco
nomic redistribution while 1t was In
progress OF formation France must
occupy such portions OF German ter
ritories On would give her a military
frontier comparatively easy OF de-
Tense.
"This In the underlying principle OF
the treaty. its supreme purpose; and
bearing In mind the characteristics
OF the German people as uniformly
shown during the last two centuries
Il was Indispensable to lasting
peace, That Il will involve a dislo-
cation of German economic life. a
comprehensive arrangements OF her
industries, and the possible migra-
ton OF large portions OF her popula-
ton II equally true, and equally In
evitable n a durable peace Is TO be
obtained. That such a dislocation and
reorganization OF Germany will in
volve economic disaster 10 the rest
OF Europe and the downfall OF oul
present civilization Ia not only not
proved, but there IL every reason &C
believe that Il IL not true. The COM
merce and Industries which Germany
has lost will he carried on equally
well or better by other nations, and
4 the Germans will resolutely go e
work and live economically theiI
country with the assistance OF food
from Russia can fully support Its re-
duced population"
In other words. Germany had
grown too populous and too wealthy
Its wealth must be taken away anC
its surplus population forced TO emit
crate. France and Germany must o.
put on an equality. even II necessar!
10 do so the German people must n
held in what amounts TO economi'
and political slavery. The industr!
and commerce Of Germany must b.
transferred 10 other countries.
This is old balance OF power the
DRY carried to its ultimum. For
merry II was planned to maintain III
balance by alliances. Gen. Greer
has a ruder method. lie would d'
II by Topping on the population. tn
| Industries and the commerce Of Ger
many. II is more than the balanc
OF power theory. II Is an advocac'
OF conquest as a means of enrich