Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-05-03
One More Chance for Germany

Out Of the tangle and turmoil OF Eu-
~ ropean affairs one great fact stands
forth.-Germany must pay. That cowardly,
duplicitous nation has hagged and hedged
BY ali the arts OF its Machiayellan diplom-
acY, il has sought to divide the allies one
from the other. and in turn it has strven
10 ALLEVIATE their friendship from the United
States by means of its discourteous appeal
over the head of the supreme council TO
President Harding. Almost it must have
seemed 10 Berlin, its schemes were on the
verge or success The last week has seen
France and little Belgium standing out in
sistentiy and courageously for immediate
occupation OF the rich Ruhr territory and
eSaction OF the allied penalties. Great
Britain, and italy counscling delay and fur
Their negotiations, with the United States in
the background, silent, waiting, its potent
influence to shape the course of events un-
exerted. All this has given hope to the
German heart where in truth there was no
ground for hope. The allied differences
have been Of method only, and beneath
them has coursed the same current OF re-
sistless determination that Germany must
pay to the uttermost Only the manner and
the time have been in controversy.
Out of the allied differences an agree
mcnt is emerging. and Germany will be
granted twelve days more in which TO meet
the allied demands. France continues its
prepa rations for occupation OF the Ruhr, and
when il moves forward--and the order may
come at any momcnt--it will have behind
it at least the moral support of all the al
lies. as we'll as the United States Already
Lloyd George has promised that should force
become necessary to exact the penalties,
Great Britains fleet will be employed. Thus
,lN,
Germany. and civilization approves Its day
OF twisting and squirming and of sowing
the seeds of dissension among the allies
passes, and il must enter upon the dis
charge of its debt 10 civilization, which it
contracted in blood.
There is hope that military activity will
not be necessary. that Germany will un-
cover the means OF paying its debt, which it
is believed to have hidden away the while
it pleaded poverty, and will yield IL up when
once more il feels the cold steel at its throat.
If out Of exchanges of the next ten days the
forward movement OF France and the threat
OF general military demonstration on the
part OF the allies. there comes the basis OF
final settlement all Interests will have rea-
son for qualification. Nor is France to be
| condemned ii il adheres to its original plan
and Immediately moves its armed forces
into the Ruhr Valley. The French people
are convinced that the German knows no
law but the law of force. They have seen
May Day pass without compliance on the
part or Germany, and the one argument they
believe left to them is 10 press the steel
upon the German heart, Because OF that
fact. France proposes TO send its army into
| the rich Ruhr Valley, and when it is firmly
| planted there, it will be ready TO talk bust
| ucss with Berlin in the only terms it seems
| able to understand.
The French military movement, therefore,
| is not to be taken as an Indication that
| France is not in accord on the main points
| with its allies and that further negotiations
| are estopped. The movement may be re-
| gardoa as preliminary, and as the clinching
| argument why Germany should pay to the
| last dollar OF its capacity. Some alarm has
| been telt over the possibility that if the
, French occupy the ltuhr Valley the present
| ministry in Berlin will fail, and with II
| the whole reparations structure that has
| been reared But If the German govern
ment were in grave danger OF collapse it
would seem that il would nave gone by the
| board wh@n i. ven,urcd TO raise the limit
OF its rcpa .AnS OIfer