The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-05-08

same fix. But that Is moro than doubt ful. But even if 1t bo true. and one must suffer ruin, why should 1t bc France! Why should the innocent pay for tho guilty? What nation or man could feel e5ss Of ccnscienc4 or sc- curity of life if such . crime should go down the bcwiIdered ages! Who would desire to communicate to the tragic but glorious history of human liberation such a stain of immortality
 Governor Miller of New York, in a speech delivered in my presence on April Il. satd this in inplacable but just terms:
 Who did the wrong must repair 1t. It is human.tyS law That law will be enforceds
 CURIOUS PARADOX
 And 1t will! I trust that reproaches of imperialism against us will cease, , and that sensitive eyes will not raise the flood gates of their tears. This manifestation of sensitiveness during recent months is a curious paradox. Tears for tho conquered are signs of comprehensibls generosity when the conquered are innocent and not butch CTS. Tears should be kept for those who suffer and weep. for our children, for AmericA's children. for all tho allied dead. for justice to tho widows and orphans and the inhabitants of the devastated regions, robbed of ell their possessions- These devastated regions in area arc of an economic importance which corresponds to Connecticut Massachusetts and Rhode Island put together.
 Where would justice be if we wAe not paidf How can 1t be called iit- perialism merely to collect debt? Imperialism means the coveting of ter ritcry, of outlets and of domination of the world. economically and militarily. Wherein ara our evil intentions? Who has right to charge us herewith? Who in America is sufficiently cred ulous to sharken to such nonsense? They say Germany cannot pay. That is quickly said, and has been said for long tim%.s The very day after the treaty was signed, before any investi- gANion of Germany's resources could be made, 1t was asserted she would be un- ablo Ito pay.
 OCCURRED IN FRANCE
 Did she ask us how much we were Ablesto pay in 1871, when after six montha of war conducted entirely on our terrdtory. and with Germany's ecopomie power totally untouched, she exaqted s.o0o 100000 francs. Five bil- liona then, according 10 financial ex- pertA account of money depreciation. equals fifteen billions today. Note that fifteen billions for six months war means one hundred and twenty billions for four years war. and that the ac- cursed war occurred on our territory, and exceeded In ferocity the widest dreams of imagination.
 Now has come the final calculation of the reparations commission, whose jurisdiction Germany herself accepts. This calculation again diminishes our claims, which are now at . low level after repeated reductions. Yet we do not complain. We accept the decision, although 1t Is disappointing. Let Ger many do likewise.
 Tn . few days we win occupy the Ruhr district. Not to molest and brutal ise the Inhabitants. as h Germany's habit, but merely to take economic measures. Why this delay? To give Germany . chance to make further proposals. says England. confess I don't understand this. No matter how many proposals Germany makes, she win never pay, unless compelled to. Tho moment pressure is relaxed. she win stop payments. How long will this scandal last? Our situation has been pitiable for a long time. It is now 1Ast hAcoming ridiculous