New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-17
Rathenau Holds Germany
Must Keep Its Pledges

Rathenau said many times that the :.
rcparation total put too great a strain
on German resources. But since accep'-
ing post in the Wirth Cabinet he has
taken the position that Germany. hav-
ing pledged her word, is bound in
honor to pay. He gave the Reichstae
reactlonaries a painful shock when he
animated that the time had come for
Germany to readopt the doctrine thai
treaties, once entered into, must be
held sacred. And he had the courage
to say to his Nationalist, Peoples.
Party and Radical hecklers:
The world is not composed Of
chauvinlsts, nor is il made up of 4
1,500,000,o00 foes, but it holds {
large body of far-minded individu- \
ais whose eyes are turned on Ger
many and who are inquiring: What
VIII Germany do? VIII her fife be
devoted to the fulhllment of her
promises The work of rebuilding
the devastated zone in France is not
a national but a world problem. It
Is running sore on the Continent
of Europe. and until it is healed
world peace is unthinkable."
In pursuance Of this manly policy
Rathenau sought conference with
Louis Loucheur. the French Minister
for the Liberated Regions 1t was held
at Wiesbaden in the middle of June
and resulted in the establishment of
good working relations with the
French. In giving an account to the
Economic Council of the Reich OF his
interview with NJ. Loucheur Dr. Rsth-
cnau said: 81 was delighted TO meet a
man who intends to deal with these
great questions without passion or
preJudice. yet who knows exactly what
his own countrys rights are and is de-
termined not to abandon them" This
strikes an entirely new note in Ger
man discussions of the reparations
settlement.
stlnnes and Rsthernau both have
well defined views as to Germanv's
economic future. SHINES hopes to see
vast industrial consultations carried
into effect, linking UP the productive
activities Of various districts in what
he calls state municipa l-private trusts.
lie would create one economic region
ou' of Westphala and the Rhineland
another cut of Berlin and its suburbs.
another out of South Germany and
another out of the coast cities. This
would involve
OF common economic management. but
place would also be left for indiyid-
ualism in leadership. SHINES describes
his scheme as a Specialization Of indus
try, IN contradistinction to complete
state Capitalization and communism.
he foresees Germany restored 10
wealth and mower through a better or
ganization of production than Ger
many's industrial rivals are capable OF.
Fathenau, who is much more pessi-
m'stlc, thinks that the German prole-
tariat will insist on experimenting
along the barren academic lines of
Marxism. AS a result the nation will
sink deeper and deeper into poverty
compared with other nations, but wall
gain q sense of equality now very for
eign to the German temperament But
whatever the material sufferings caused
by the proletarian experiment H. be-
lieyes that the people viii find re-
demption and recompense at last in
the pursuit of the things of the spiri,
lin return to that truer Germanic
culture, Of which the blatant Hohen-
zollern kultur was SO base pcryersion