Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1921-10-07
"A Scout is Obcdient--
THE WAY TO STOP is TO STOP


On November II, 1918, the I'm
perial German government went
down in defeat 1t seemed certain
that the German people had been
caught between millstones that
would not leave more than a breath
of life. The cost of war and the cost
of reparation presented themselves
as unbearable pressures.
The Treaty of Versailles, driving
home the bitter lesson that those
who play must pay, was denounced
by Berlin as absolutely destructive
of any spark of spirit that might
| still linger in the ashes of despair.
Not even the indemnity clauses
| however were so difficult to bear as
those provisions that forbade Ger
many to waste it's future substance
on armies and navies Here was the
humiliation that could not be en-
| dured.
To day this enforced disarmament
is seen to be the salvation of the
German people. The load of mill
tarism that had deformed a nation
IN body and in soul through the long
years has been transferred to the
backs of America and the allies.
History will record it as one of the
great ironies that the victors in a
war to end war" did not even wait
decent interval before plunging in
to preparedness for new wars. Hav-
ing mortgaged the present in order
to crush militarism, they were
breathless to mortgage the future
even though militarism should
eventually crush them.
OF all the great powers, only Ger
many is permitted to concentrate en-
ergies and resources on productive
activities.
The building of warships that are
obsolete almost in the moment of
their launching, and the mainten-
ance of standing armies, are SOW
ereign rights that the conquerors re-
serve for themselves. Gone are the
days when the armament race was a
free-for-all. 1t is now exclusive.
The insanity of the situation is
not matter of opinion. All figures
prove it. Every year, at least until
lucid interval, the United States,
Great Britain and Japan will each
spend more money on armament
than the amount that Germany will
spend yearly on PREPARATIONS. The
annual indemnity that Germany is
called upon to pay on account of war
damages-the annual amount that
Germany once cried out against as
soul crushing lis scarce more
than the annual naval expenditures
or America or Great Britain or ia
pan, and is far less than the COM
bined naval and military expendi-
lures of either America, Great Brit
ain, or Japan.
What the Germans must paw on
reparations can not now be set
down exactly, for there is not only
a fixed sum in cash, but also an in
definite figure based upon German
exports. Expert statisticians, how
ever, are generally agreed that the
amount will run between $500. 600
600 and $8OO,OOO0OO a year for the
next few years.
No such uncertainty exists with
regard to American armament costs.
The figures are hard and fast. Or
April 30 Secretary of the Treasury
Mellon presented his estimate of dis
bursements for the fiscal year end
ing June 80, 1922. and these figures
stood out above the rest: War de-
partment. s1,027,750,00O; navy de.
partment, $697.500,OOO That is a
total of s1,725,250.000, as compared
with Germany's "soul-crushing" in,
demnity of seven hundred or eight
hundred millions a year.-Collier'