The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-25

from her. and the whole problem
can be solved by economic develop
ment."
Here follows a detailed state
ment Of the articles the colonies
produce or are capable % produce
ing. The article then cot ludes as
follows.
The ,hew scheme for the devel-
opment of the colonies aims, above
all. at their economic equipment
Certain works have already been
executed. but many of the colonies
are backward in this respect. Equa-
torial Africa, for instance. possesses
no railways except a short mineral
line. The loan authorized last year
bys Parliament finances the con-
struction of a line from Brazzaville
to the coast. In New Caledonia
there Is an embryo railway twenty
nine kilometers long, from Moumea
towards Bourail After giving list
Of the railways constructed, NJ. Sar-
raut's bill points out that hitherto
France has not had a sufficiently
broad-minded railway policy for the
colonies. Her efforts have Deem
fragmentary. No colony, as yet,
possesses a completed trunk line"
France to Cut. A. o.
Reports during the past week are
to the effect that France Is favor
ably considering reduction of her
forces in the occupied German ter
ritory. Those who adversely criti-
else France for militaristic action.
believing that France is not SO
greatly threatened as she claims to
be, should bear ip mind the fact
that conditions have changed.
Frahce's anxiety and her conse-
quent military preparations may
not be so much warranted now as
they were some time ago. The sue
cess of the mission engaged in dis
arming Germany, the peaceful dis
position of a majority of the Ger
man people. the efforts OF Great
Britain to bring reasonable Euro
pean adjustments, the better feel
ing created by the Washington con-
ference, have all doubtless had some
effect on the French attitude. Al
any rate, II seems not unlikely that
the maintenance of the French
forces may soon be less of a bur-
Gen to Germany than in the past.
Recently a group u Industrial
organizations in the occupied Ger
man area sent a cable to President
Harding, urging reduction OF the
armies OF occupation. This plea
was doubtless due principally to the
economic and financial burden of
the occupation as well as to the op-
position OF the Germans to the
presence Of such large forces of
their conquerors.
That the cost of this occupation
is considerable is indicated by an
article in the Westminster (Lon-
don) Gazette, by W. II. Dawson.
which refers to a recent memoran-
dunn on the subject. The Gazette's
article has the following to say:
Costs shown Heavy.
"A memorandum on the costs of
the Rhineland occupation and of
the Rhineland commission, which
which was presented to the Reichs-
tag by the minister of finance a
short time ago, stated that the ex-
penditure which the German gov
eminent itself had actually dis
bursed on this account up to the
end of March. 1921, amounted to L.
313.912.00O paper marks, while the
costs incurred by the allied govern
ments on account Of their troops,
and for which Germany was held
liable, amounted in addition to g.
s3e.s55. 900 gold marks. The FIRST Of
these sums covers mainly costs OF
maintenance and miscellaneous
services, purchases of land. new
houses for officers and non-com-
missfoned officers and their families.
rents of houses and flats for the
same. cost of furnishing these ana
other houses, provision OF buildings
and the rebuilding and adaptation
of existing buildings for use as
barracks, fuel, light and water sup
plies, special postal, telegraphic
and telephone facilities, etc. A
large part Of the capital expendi-
ture here shown represents fonds
perdus, since with the withdrawal
of the force of occupation no tangI-
bile assets will remain. Incidentally
II should be said that enormous ex-
pense has been thrown upon the To-
cal authorities, not all OF which
will be reimbursed by the imperial
government 1t is a fact that the
bill for the mere costs OF occupa-
ton already run up by the Ave al
lied powers concerned far exceeds
the entire amount of the indemnity
required by Germany from France
in 1879
The memorandum of the German
government cited above contains
the warning: The costs Of occupa-
tfon impose on the German realm a
burden which. IL II continues, must
affect injuriously the question of
reparations, An improvement will
only be possible IL the causes of
the enormous increase of these
costs are removed-in other words.
II the force of occupation Is dras-
tically reduced, and a status 10 in
troduced which shall be In accord
with the purpose of the occupation
and the meaning OF the peace
treaty and the Rhineland agree
agreement