Evening star., 1921-04-27
The Latest German Proposal.

The Latest German Proposal.
Whether or not the German gov
ernment is actuated by good faith IN
its latest proposal for the payment OF
war indemnity is. of course. matter
of opinion And unless it is assumed
that good faith is lost attribute IN
Germany. an assumption which would
make impossible any settlement or the
reparatiuns question. it is necessary tC
form opinion on the subject with an
one. For Germany has. by the course
she has elected since the armistlce,
implanted in the minds of those who
sit in Judgment a clear impression OF
combined stiffness and impudence
W. i is difficult of eradication. The
Ia :. :, ~e.er. must be essayed.
\. ~. Lush it almost seems that
the D., altitude has been broken. that
Germany is honestly proposing what
she regards as the best she can do.
The difference between her offer of
zoo 900 900 900 gold marks. payable in
q period of years. and the latest de-
mands of the allies is not great. That
difference. amounting to an approx
mate $4,000, ,000. 900. has present val
ce Of about $4,000, ,o0O. 900. And, reck-
oned as against the tremendous value
Of peaceful settlement of the ques-
ton which today more than any other
that sum might well be waived. Ger
many. if her actual monetary offer
stood alone. might be deemed to have
gone far enough to warrant the re-
sumption OF negotiations.
1t is in the conditions upon which,
that offer is made contingent that
the old doubt as to her good faith re-
ceives the new proof which makes a
commission Of experts to determine
her ability to pay; of American sus-
gestions as to "a moderate and just
solution of the reparations problem
est rate of per cent; of the annul-
ment of all other German obligations
and release of private property in
other countries, and of the discon-
penalties. revives the old impression of
effrontery. craftiness and clumsy dodg.
ing that has too long disgusted the
world. The first impression that at
a OF ~ irir
conception Of her status in the nego.
tiations and an honest desire to make
good is blotted out. and the determine
ton to bring her to her senses is
given fresh impetus.
Germany lost a war for which she
was principally responsible and by
treaty accepted the consequences of
defeat. Since that time she has sought
with persistence and with that degree
Of adrOitness of which the German
mind is capable to slide from under
the obligations then undertaken Those
obligations were dictated by the vic
tors. as was highly proper. Germany
had, through her subservience to the
insane ambitions Of her kaiser, plung-
ed the world into untold misery; had
been beaten at her own game; and had,
to all intents and purposes. surrender
ed Internationally to avoid invasion
Justice demanded that she pay, and
common sense insured the fact that
what she would pay was to be a mat
ter for the allies to decide Germany
agreed that they should decide and
that she would abide by their decision.
The decision was made and the Ger
man agreement was broken
So the allies are going into Ger.
many, to teach her. in the only manner
by which she is apparently capable
OF being taught, that they stand firm
on their demands: that she, as a GRIM
inal at the bar OF justice, is not there
to higgle, but to pay a penalty. The
best hope arising from the latest Ger
man proposal is that the coming les
son need not be greatly prolonged, that
she is on the verge of seeing the light.
Three courses are open to the United
States: To refuse to transmit the Ger
man offer: to transmit it without com.
ment. or to transmit ii with an ex.
preston OF our viewpoint thereon, 1t
Is to be hoped that the latter course
will be adopted and that the expression
of our viewpoint will be so candid as
10 bring home to Germany an approx.
innate conception OF the solidarity with
which We stand behind our late allies
and ihe essential terms Of the treaty
of Versailles