The New York herald., 1921-03-03
The London Conference.

settlement of the amount OF German
indemnity TO be exacted cannot but
feel sore disappointment over the re-
suits that have come thus far from
the London conference. For those
results, whether through the fault
of the Berlin representatives or
whether through the fault of the
Allied Council, have not gone to the
heart of the matter, which is the
measure of indemnity Germany is
capable of paying without breaking.
They have scarcely touched on it.
THE New York HERALD has said
that the Germans should pay what
they can pay without causing eco
nomic chaos in central Europe or in
volving union with Bolshevik Rus
sia. And THE NEW YORK HERALD has
knew what they could pay. Yet when
this is the one and all OF the ques-
tion not thing has yet developed at
the London conference that would
bring out the hard facts as to the
German ability to pay. Not thing
has developed that would set In mo-
ton the machinery to uncover these
hard facts.
On the contrary. whatever of proof
or argument the Germans had to sub
stantiate their declared limit of
strength to shoulder and carry in
demnity. they We're not suffered to
submit it either for confirmation or
for refutation. Grant that their pro-
posal In the terms Ii was couched
was exasperating and In the manner
they offered 1t was, as the Allies see
1t, an insult TO the intelligence;
grant that II was not sincere; grant
pnything you please about it-never-
theleSs. what Is there about the Allies
rejoinder and the Allies threat of
military enforcement of their full de-
mands to bring out the all important,
the absolutely indispensable facts
upon which must be based what Ger
many can pay either as the fruit of
negotiation or as the spoils of force?
Nothing at all.
The English people are so cool and
calculating in all their business af-
fairs that it is nothing less than mys-
tifying why their Government does
not want, and does nor insist, that
first OF all the Allies and the Ger
mans get down TO the business, and
stick TO 1t. OF finding out exactly what
there Is that can he paid and what
there is not. For the matter OF that.
the French people are so keenly an
alytical and so surprisingly careful
In appraising actual values that it is
puzzllng to understand why their rep
resentatives at the conference do not
wish, do not demand, in truth, that
the whole German case be turned over
10 them for searching examination,
investigation and discussion.
The hard heads of the English and
the shrewd heads OF the French can
not have an idea that foreign military
occupation OF German territory could
draw out OF II even for a short period
oil the revenues that the Germans
themselves could draw out. And
they cannot doubt that what could
thus be drawn out under such pres
sure would not last for long.
Blockading German ports would
snuff out German foreign trade, with
which Germany must pay the greater
part Of whatever she pays. If the
Allies do not blockade her ports but
do take charge Of the custom houses
they cannot make revenues merely
by sitting in the seats OF the collec-
tors.
Farms are not going to grow more
blades Of grass because foreign cav
airy is patrollinG the fields they are
going TO grow fewer blades of grass.
With an army OF occupation to be
fed and otherwise supported out Of
the yield Of the territory which IL
holds. the soil Is not going 10 return
greater surplus to apply TO the in
demnity payments; Il Is going 10
return smaller surplus. With a
nation of workers sullen and listless
under the eyes Of their foreign mas
ters, their work is not going to pro-
duce more than IL they were striving
of their own free viii Il IS going TO
produce less.
10 is not possible, we say, that
either the English or the French
have any hallucinations on the fun
damental principles, conditions and
things which govern such situation.
They are the last peoples in the world
30 20 mentally astrav In such mat
ters. So II what they want IS In
demnity. and all the indemnity that
the Germans can pay without de-
structIon to Germany and ultimate
menace to all Europe, why do not
they and Germany together set them
selves to the imperatively required
task of getting down TO the rock bot
tom basis OF what indemnity moneys
md resources Germany actually has
for the present and potentially has
for the future?
Or II the interested parties them
selves can never agree as to tho hard.