Evening star., 1921-05-08
BY RENE VIVIANI,
Former Premier OF France.

BY Gable to The Star.
PARIS, May THE die is cast.
Germany's i'll will, so often demon
strated that doubt about it no longer
exists anywhere. forced the London
conference to decisive action. His
tory can never say that the debtor
was not given notice. 1t is now
nearly two years since Germany
signed the treaty fixing May l, 1921,
as the final limit. BY that date Ger
many was expected to have dis
charged a part of her financial obli-
cations. Not only has she failed to
discharge them. but she has played
fast and loose with other clauses of
the treaty and has not obeyed the
moral law of her own signature.
From the moment of her failure
the world was faced with a question
which regretfully we must now re-
solve by force, having exhausted all
resources of conciliation.
X X 4 r
This simply is question as to
whether France, for the crime Of
having resisted with the allies an
unjustified aggression. must, besides
suffering deep. bloody wounds, un-
dergo economic ruin. We are told
Germany is in the same fix. But
that is more than doubtful. But
even il it be true. and one must Suf-
fer ruin, why should it be France?
Why should an innocent pay for the
guilty? What nation or man could
feel ease of conscience or security OF
life if such crime should go down
the bewildered ages? Who would
desire to communicate to the tragic
but glorious history of human liber-
ton such a stain Of immortality?
Gov. Miller Of New York, in a
splendid speech. delivered in my
presence on April II, said this in
impIacabIe. but just terms:
who did the wrong must repair
it. 1t is humanity's law. That
law will be enforced"
And it will, ! trust that re-
proaches of "imperialism" against
US will cease, and that sensitive
eyes will not raise the fioodgates
of their tears. This manifestation
of sensitiveness during recent
months is curious paradox.
Tears for the conquered are signs
Of comprehensive generosity when
the conquered are innocent and not
butchers
Tears should be kept for those.
who suffer and weep. for our chill
dren, for Americas children. for
all the allied dead. for justice to
the widows and orphans and the
inhabitants of the devastated re-
gions, robbed of all their possess
sions. These deva stated regions
in area are of an economic Impor-
tance which corresponds to Con-
necticut, Massachusetts and Rhode
Island put together.
Where would justice be If we
were not paid? How can it be
lect debt Imperialism means
the coveting Of territory of out
lets. and Of domination of the
world, economically and militarily.
Wherein are our evil Intentions?
Who has a right to charge US
Herewith? Who in America is
sufficiently credulous to harken to
such nonsense?
They say Germany cannot pay
That is quickly said, and has been
said for long time. The very
day after the treaty was signed,
before any investigation of Ger
many's resources could be made. it
was asserted she would be unable
to pay.
Did she ask US how much we
were able to pay in 1871. when aft
er six months Of war conducted
entirely on our territory, and with
Germany's economic power totally
untouched, she eXacted 5,00O.000.000
francs? Five billions then, accord
ing to financial experts and on ac-
count of money depreciation,
equals fifteen billions today Note
that fifteen billions for six months
war means one hundred and twen-
ty billions for four years war
and that the accursed war oc-
CURED on our territory. and ex-