The Washington herald., 1921-01-02

Of the terrible taxation\' that is
| threatening 1t.
If the present conditions do not
change, this emigration will con-
tinue. The world war has impoyer-
ished Germany much more than II
has impoverished her enemies. and
many facts induce one to think that
this poverty will last for a long
time, if 1t does not increase.
But where is the dreamer who
imagines that an impoverished Ger
many can make good all that her
armies have savagely destroyed?
These things that 1 am saying
are neither discoveries nor the rev.
elatiOns of a hidden wisdom; they
are simply common sense considera-
tiOns. Many agree with them, in
face to face discussions; but of what
use is that?
Europe has put new chain round
her neck. The & overnments that
have subscribed to the peace treaties
and between whom the indemnities
would have to be divided want to
keep to the letter Of the treaty, and
they continue to talk and to act as
though the treaty could be carried
out to the letter.
Finance Estimates.
The ministers of finance make
their calculations just as if Ger
many's credits were lying. in so
many bonds that will infallibly be
met when they fall due, in their own
safe deposits.
But could they do differently?
Could a government, a year after 1t
had, with however little conviction,
signed a treaty of that nature and
widely proclaimed it as the prodigy
of the world? ould it ever admit
that such a prodigy could not be ap-
piled? Would it be possible for a
minister of finance to renounce of
his own will and declare impossible
OF exaction a credit which is in
scribed in one of the most solemn
documents of the history of. the
world?
Public in the Dark.
On the other hand, there is not a
newspaper or a man of any eminence
or authority that is; willing to as
sumo the responsibility of declaring
that rights which the governments
declare to- be firm and valid are, on
the contrary, imaginary and unreal.
Thus all those who understand the
real state of affairs Join together to
form a chain of silence and duplicity
around the peoples, which prevent
them from escaping from the cloud
OF illusion that envelopes them into
the broad light of facts.
The general public, which is in
capable of clearly distinguishing be-
tween the possible and the impossi-
oIe' In big things, and whose sense
of InSfira nj
manding that Germany be made to
repair the cyl she has done, is con-
hrmed in e conviction that Ger
many will pay. That she will nav
because she must pay.
Governments Bound.
But this secure expectation of
the peoples in its turn binds. tbs
governments. How could the gov
ernments dare to show even a doubt
as to the solidity Of those credIts
when the general public has he.
come SO accustomed to count uDon
them? The peoples would not listen
to reason, in that case, and thev
would feel a strong resentment
against the governments, ACCUSING
them Of incapacity and weakness.
This Misunderstanding, however,
cannot go on to eternity. One day
or other the facts will definItely
prevail over all these Illusions
Sooner or later, since there is no
hope to be placed in miracles. the
peoples will have, to realize that
Germany cannot pay because she
viii not, and that she win not be-
cause she cannot pay more than a
small part of the indemnity inn
posed.
What is likely to happen on that