The Washington herald., 1921-06-26
Big Business Will Avert War
In Europe, Simonds Believes
France, Great Iron Nation, Still Depends on
Germany for Coal, and Teutons Must
Get Iron East of the Rhine.

dependent. II for a period of years
German coal will flow to France as
the most important detail in the
reparations payments, even this
benefit must end in time and when
that time comes France will have
to find a basis for obtaining coal
from Germany, just as Germany
must now seek some way of obtain
ing iron from France. Germany
cannot 60 outside OF French nelds
for the simple reason that the cost
would be prohibitive. But the river
and canal systems Of the Rhine, the
Moselle and the Saar supply an
easy, cheap and ready means OF
cheap transportation between the
two countries. Metz on the Moselle.
Strasbourg on the Rhine, Saar-
brucken on the Saar these are
destined to be great centers in the
transit trade OF the future and
these three rivers are highways OF
exchange between the two nations.
Friendly Intercourse Impossfble.
But IL cooperation on the indus
trial side between the two coun-
tries is almost obligatory, II re-
mains true that political obstacles
bar the way. Indeed. In any such
examination Of Franco-German re-
lations as we are now making II Is
necessary in the hrst place to rule
out all possibility OF really friendly
Intercourse for at least q genera
tion. Not until the scars Of the last
German invasion. not until the
grimmest memories of German pur-
poses and performances have been
obliterated. can one even hope that
France will dismiss her present
sentiments toward her neighbor on
the east.
Beyond this heritage from an i'm
mediate past, which is, after all,
only the intensification of a sense
OF injury extending back over more
than half a century. there exist two
obstacles. at present well nigh in
surmountable.
French Fear New Attack.
There are. on the French side.
the fear Of q new German attack,
on the German side a conviction
that France seeks the destruction
of Germany. the disruption of that
German unity created by Bismarck
by three wars OF aggression in the
last century. As long as France is
dppGcnenslNe Oh AttACk, eventual II
not immediate, as long as Germany
sees in each French gesture the
Iroof of French design to break up
the reich. Franco relations
cannot improve.
Yet, IL Is not beyond hope that
both of these obstacles will with
the passing of time diminish IL not
disappear. AS to the possibility of
German attack. no one can mis-
take that today the hope and the
desire for a new adjustment with
France through the medium OF
war exists in Germany, finds daily
expression in the mouths of the
politicians who were most conspic-
Gus in the making OF the last war,
and could they have their way would
turn their countrymen to the task
of preparing a new war in the fu-
ture. when Germany would regain
q measure OF her liberty OF action.
Germany Forced to Disarm.
But liberty OF action such as
would permit the preparation Of q
new war is far in the future. For
thirteen years, at the least. allied
armies will occupy German terri
tory west OF the Rhine. The treaty
Of Versailles provides for progress
sive evacuation Of the Rhine re-
gions, but II also provides for re-
occupation, IL Germany does not at
all times comply with the disarm-
ament terms OF the treaty. One