The Washington herald., 1921-06-05
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antee France against future attack,
but that has failed him also. As
far as repayment of the damage OF
the war. he knows now that even
il Germany pays according to her
present pledges. France will still
be burdened by enormous debts and
meanwhile her devastated districts,
still close to Paris as an open, un-
healed wound-the red zone, they
call it-are a constant reminder that
reconstruction is hardly begun
After two years of impractical
and unreal hope. the average French
man is now facing reality, and that
is moderating his views in many
ways.
Refused Paper from Germany.
England and America are trad
ing with Germany" he says. They
are realists. We are fools il we
refuse to buy what they can sell
cheap to us"
After the armistice, for instance,
France was in desperate need OF
paper for school books. The price
of paper had scared up to fantastic
heights. Germany offered a big sup
ply of it at the same rate as in
1918. When the French minister
was approached, he grew red in the
face. uttered strange noises in his
throat and conde mned the idea of
buying paper from Germany as
treason to the dead. 1t was Eng
land that bought this paper and
later France bought it from Eng
land at a much-increased price.
l tnd among some people 1 meet
a sense of gloom about the future
of France. chiefly due to the thought
that they may be estranged from
England. which they believe is
drawing closed to Germany and
arranging commercial agreements
with their old enemy.
DistruStfuI of ENGLAND
That belief hurts them horribly
and makes them distrustful and
suspicious of England. They lean
more upon their Polish alliance as
their best safeguard against the
time when Germany may want a
war of revenge, and yet many
Frenchmen admit privately that
Poland is not a strong or stable
ally.
Meanwhile they see their popula-
tton decreasing, while Germany's
birth rate is high. and they know
their national debt cannot be re-
paid for many generations.
That" said the Frenchman who
told me this story, lis typical of
government by passion. 1t has
been our curse"
Spurn Oner of Labor.
II is the same sentiment which
for two years refused the German
offer to restore the devastated dis
tricts by German labor and erect
houses for the homeless popuIa-
tion.
What" cried the voice of pas
sion, will they take our work from
u.s.
French politicians trembled with
indignation at the idea But the
mayors and the inhabitants OF
Nerdun and other places of ruin
have lately brought reason and
reality into play and the French
government has yielded TO their
pressure.
We want houses. not promises"
said one OF these inhabitants from
the red zone. we want wood and
stone. not sentiment and oratory.
The Germans offer us $4,000 well
are refused Monsieur BRAND. our
homeless families will no longer be
patient with their politicians"
Reaiist Accepts Proposal.
The French prime minister, who
u himself realist. although hee has
% be careful in realism. has ac-
septed the proposal, subject to
amendment in detail.
1t Is in view of the new attitude
Of mind in getting away from pas
sion to reality that the French
labor party. once most violent
against the use of German labor
for reconstruction in France, has
withdrawn its opposition was
talking yesterday with the leader
of French labor. NJ. Leon Blum. in
the chamber OF deputies. where he
has united two groups of moderate
socialists. His views coincide very
much with all moderate opinion in
France. which is stronger than IL
appears from the French press.
m. BRAND. il is said. when he
INDUCES in passionate oratory to
please the chauvinists. braves pup
lie opinion and does not represent
IL. he said. IF you speak to the
small clerk or to the peasant YOU
will not find that either of them
desires occupation of the Ruhr for
vengeance sake or wishes French
troops to intervene in upper 81
lesia-
Want Men on Fnrma
The French working people want
their young men on their FARMS
not in the occupied territories.
They have no love for Germany