The Washington times., 1921-02-11

War, More OF III
The Vast French Army.
0ermany Better OFT.
Our Own Problems.
RTHUR BRISBANE
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Il i
i-by ARTHUR BRIsDAHB-I
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The lady In Chicago did not
Know what she was starting when
sns took the lantern and went out
70 milk the COW. And earth did
nos know what it was starting
when Il took down the sword in
tnee big war and went out to
gather glory. The world viii be
very sick Of war before II is all
ever.
Everywhere there seems posi-
osiity Of fighting, some distinguish
"a English statesman, with bad
headache from the night before,
presumably, even suggests that
England and America are drift
ing toward war. Dangerous drift
ing, especially for England, il 1t
were SO, but II is not so, I'VE
guess" as the English would say.
Russia, however, the despised,
overgrown sister of the North,
seams to be ready to fight any
where at any time. She has 400,-
700 men ready for trouble on the
Polish and Rumanian borders.
There will be absorbing done there
by Russia unless western Europe
helps against Russia on q big scale.
And, the appetite for helping"
has died out in western Europe.
except for the French desire to
get thirty billion francs owed by
the Gar and repudiated by Lenin.
France will tire of that mirage
chase after a while, and Russia
will do various unpleasant things
TO her neighbors while her enthu-
siaSn lasts. e
The hopeful supposed that ma
tions would have enough war aft
or this war; but look at the fig
ures.
France, according to a report
made to Congress by Secretary
Baker, has the worlds biggest
standing army, with francs sell
ing for seven cents apiece. That
Is no joke.
With peace declared and the in
demnity fixed" for the time being,
France has actually under arms,
eating at public expense, drawing
pay, and producing nothing for
France, seven hundred and thir-
ty-two thousand men.
She has, in her reserves, more
than B million and a half more
men. That does not look like bless
ed peace. France expects to make
Germany feed and pay that army
for the next forty-two years. That
may happen; may not; probably
won't. :
But if it did happen, how much
better for Germany than for
France. If Germany had that
army, as she used to have it, she
would have to pay and feed 1t any,
how, and, at the same time. lose the
services, the productive work, pf
tia hundredsSc Scf thohsands of army
mSn. Now Gefanany's. men are al
'k5kilabie for work, t2f4ffkS to the
peace terms that killed off the
slkAisssSs army and navy.. ~
And France has three-quarters
OF b million men producing moth
inx, learning nothing, away front
their families, from the farms and
the factories, while Germany's
men are, all at work producing
wealth and famiEes-to make Ger
many bigger. Germany is grow-
ing and producing. Training her
men in industry and agriculture,
while France has nearly a million
Of her best sons marching around
producing nothing, watching Ger
many grow bigger. Is that good
thing for France or a good thing
for Germany?
II you had to see your sons idle,
fed by the working sons Of your
neighbors, or your sons busy de-
veloping the farm and feeding idle
men across the line, which would
you choose as better for your
sons?
9 Victory in war often hurts the
winner more than the loser. The
winner may make a fool Of him
self for a while, the loser must
work--and work is what counts.
This country, fortunately, seems
Inclined to avoid waste Of money
and waste of men on a great
standing army. The President
Heaven knows why-wanted
standing army of nearly three
hundred thousand men, but Con-
rress decided against it.
Certain interests, 1t is we'll
known, want plenty Of soldiers to
deal with labor. But dealing with
strikes, which is meant, you could
not do more than use as many
machine guns as the widest streets
would hold, and you don't. need
three hundred thousand soldiers
for that. England got along nicely
before the war with fifty thousand
men, or fewer, in the British Is
land. Should we not get on with
one hundred and nifty thousand7
They ought TO take care Of la
bor." and form a sufficient nucleus,
officers and men, for a real army
Of millions. II we have to have II.
Those that worry about labor"
for their comfort should remem-