The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1921-03-23
HOSANNA, NOT HORROR.

(fr0m tue New Ofk BrlbUne).
Better end with horror than horror
without end" is the reported mood of
the lower Rhine valley as the new al
lied occupation is cheerfully accepted.
The saying indicates that our ia
miliar friend German Propaganda has
not lost his lusty voice. The world
is to be filled with clamor concerning
the vickedness of the revengeful
French President Ebert has already
let out a preliminary below of pre-
tended pain, and doubtless it will be
dutifully echoed by the Won Machs
and the Vierecks.
Yet the new occupation, like that of
the Moselle region since the signing
of the armistice, promises to be
benevolent affair. Instead of reason
for cries of horror, there is cause for
an outburst of hosannas. 1t is easy
money which has come to town.
The treaty of Versailles is a docu-
ment of 223 pages, but it's writer's
found no room to insert precise pro-
visions for effective penalties for it's
violation. 1t confers no rights of civil
administration, or for imposing taxes,
or for making laws for financial and
economic purposes. The allies cannot,
as Stephanne Lausanne points out,
make law, raise a tax of a single
pfenning or move a char" The in
coming soldiers will pay for what they
consume and local trade will thrive.
Conquest, where is thy sting? Occu-
patton, where is thy inconvenience?
The allies in the way of improvis-
ing penalties now decree, under the
general power to enforce the treaty,
that customs barriers shall be set up
and that revenues therefrom shall
flow into the Preparations fund. But
the worthy Germans declare the col
lections will not pay enough to meet
the cost of the service. But even
though this were no so, it is not a
matter of local concern what customs
tools are levied. The towns will pros
per. 1t will be recalled that Coblenz
shOpkeepers wept when the news
came that most of the free-spending
American dough boys were to be with
drawn.
In Belgium and northern France the
Germans reduced the inhabitants to
slavery, imposed cruel acquisitions
and otherwise brought home the bit
terness of war. But it is assumed
doubtless with warrant, that the
French are too civilized to resort tt
similar practices. They will scarce
ly dare give a cross look to the bur
ghers through fear the heavens will
resound with lamentations over tn,
horror on the Rhine.
If by chance German rations shout,
become short, an appeal would, O
course, Immediately come from tn
shipping in of food, and miles of film
would be displayed showing emaciat
ed German children. Whichever wa
matters go Hans believes he will b
comfortable, and at ease he smoke
I his pipe and drinks his beer.
Modern warfare seems to imply wo
to the conquering rather than to tn
6 conquered. France suffered the d.
4 -struction of five of her department
3 the loss of "a per cent of her ire
& ore, 70 per cent of her sugar, 55 pr
2 cent of her supply of electrical el
e ergy, 600 kilometers of her railroad
z and countless habitations and shel
. plowed fields. Germany in a materi
y way lost nothing. Yet France W;
Z victorious and Germany defeated.
= the year 1921 roles seem reversed, y
2 beyond doubt we shall hear much
= poor Germany