The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-05-12
B[UNDERS Of
ALLIES SHOWN
Hapgood Quotes Colonel House
as Holding Demands on Ger
many Too High.
BY NORMAN HAPGOOD.

BY NORMAN HAPGOOD.
So many books have been written
on the Peace Conference and the
war by persons in various ways con-
cerned that it looks as II history
might reach its conclusions earlier
than it usually does. But at the
best 1t is slow process.
IGNORANCE OF HISTORY.
Even the war of 1870 is far from
clearly seen as yet. We know about
the Ems dispatch. the indemnity, and
the seizure of Alsace-Lorraine, but
how many Americans know anything
about the plans of Napoleon III? ]
asked the head of the French depart
whether he looked upon Bismarck OF
Napoleon III rs more responsible for
that war. He replied:
Napoleon"
Then / asked another professor OF
French in the same university, and he
also answered, Napoleon. ! do not
cite these opinions because / agree
with them. / cite them to show how
accidental are our easy judgments
about war-guilt.
One Of the most useful books about
the Paris conference appears tomor-
row. 1t is written not by one man
but by many, all Of them concerned
in the negotiations what Really
Happened at Paris" published by
Scribners, Is the report mainly OF the
American experts on special aspects
of the treaty, although a foreword
and one Of the most interesting chap
tiers are written by Colonel House.
COLONEL HOUSES OPINION.
The book is published at a moment
when our relation to European prob
lens is being rapidly solidified by the
Harding administration. On some of
the questions with which Mr.. Harding
and Mr.. Hughes are evidently going
to deal 1t throws a good deal of light
"In order to temporize," says
Colonel House." both France and
Great Britain had recourse to the
cry Of making Germany pay the en-
tire cost OF the war, and there were
fnanciers of international reputation
in both countries who gave credenco
to the statement that this could b"
done. 1t was a mad and wholly un-
warrantable ASSUME ton"
Thomas w. Lamont writes q par
ticularly interesting and timely chap
ter on reparations. When this chap
ter was delivered as a lecture some
body asked:
'wil not the greater thrift. in
dustry. efficiency. self-denial required
for the payment of indemnities. mean
a greater, stronger Germany when
the burden passes?"
Mr.. Lamont replied:
II should think so. should dc.
cidedly think So"
LAMONTs SENTIMENT.
Mr.. Lannon'S idea of . wise settle
ment was positive:
1--WE simply wanted to be practical.
not visionary: we simply realized,
as many Of the French did not seem
to do, that II was impossible to
pick up Germanys static wealth, like
her railways, and transfer them
bodily to France: that, therefore,
France would benefit most by taking
everything she could. by taking IT
quickly and writing of the balance"
Colonel House thinks along similar
lines. He believes that after the
armistice the Allies sh Mould have called
a conference and prepared a plan. the
leading feature OF which should have
been a general adjustment of inter
national indebtedness.
Under such plan our foreign
loans, instead of being $4,000 600 900
would probably have been $4,000. 000.-
OO0-all good and Understanding
This in itself would have reduced our
taxes $3.50, 0O0. 900 a year, and with
the stimulus which sound imam
cial situation abroad would have
given our trade different story
could today be told"
FEARS FOR MONEY DUE q. 5.
As 1t is, Colonel House looks upon
the value OF what is owed to the
United States as extremely doubt
full" II the adjustment had been
made, and made promptly. not only
our people would have been better
of financially, but the feeling of our
people would have been better, as
they would have realized that these
loans were made not as investments.
but in order to defeat the Central
Empires.
Another matter that Is urgent just
now Is the attempt to upset the sit
uation in Germany still further by
forcing trials of war criminals"
Prof. James Brown Scott brings out
the point that Bismarck had the
same idea about Napoleon Third.
''It is better for the world" says
Professor Scott, "that that sugges-
tion has not been followed"
OF the attempt of our allies to
force trials of the Kaiser and others
Professor Scott says:
Tho time will come when they
will be glad that they did not sue
ceed.'
The latest terms to Germany show
that the time for thia apl;0bton