Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-05-16
|PO|NCARE s GERMAN
POLICY IS VIEWED
BY PAUL SCOTT MOWRER
The Atlanta Journal News Bureau,
LnAnu.inl 1000

NOOpyTlSuls Io6E'J
PARIS, May 13.-Probably no
other question in Europe is arousing
more anxious speculation at present
than is Premier Raymond Poincare's
policy toward Germany. After care
full inquiry from inside sources,
checked and counter-checked in va
rious ways, the writer is Of the opin-
ion that this policy aims, not as
is commonly reported outside OF
France, at the annexation of any
part of Germany or the crushing and
breaking up Of the country, but sole
ly at exacting what M. Poincare
considers reasonable reparations pay
ments.
Everybody in France, as nearly as
the correspondent can ascertain,
hopes that these payments can be
Of the French people, however,
would seemingly agree with M. Poin-
care that if peaceful measures prove
ineffective, then force must at least
be tried. After the issues comes to
this point, M. Poincare will do every
thing possible to secure concerted
action by the allies, but failing an
agreement with the allies, he is
quite prepared to act alone.
Police Expedition
Your correspondent does not share
the prevalent opinion that French
military action against Germany
would take the form of occupation of
the Ruhr industrial district. French
leaders, it seems to me, do not de-
sire prolonged occupation of any
additional German territory. What
they might attempt would be a
police expedition intended to bring
the maximum pressure upon Ger
many for the purpose of getting it
to agree to a greater effort to rep
arations payments. Undoubtedly the
place where such pressure could be
best eXcrted is not the Ruhr but Ber-
lin itself. 1t is not sure that the
French would attempt to march on
Berlin, but it is possibility. Wheth-
err such an expedition could be at
tempted with the forces now under
arms or whether it would be neces-
sary to mobilize additional men is
still problematical, but it is believed
that the question is being carefully
studied by competent technical au-
thority.
Broadly speaking, Premier Poin-
cares thesis is as follows: France
is morally and legally entitled to
Preparations from Germany. Some
body must pay for the restoration
Of the devastated regions. At pres
ent it is France alone which is pay
ing. Germany, all of whose indus
tries are intact, which is a larger
country than France and has no Tor
eign debt, is fully as well able 10
nav as France, but the German gov
eminent has been systematically en-
riching individuals and impoVerls1'
ing the state for the purpose OF de-
claring a sort of bankruptcy and so
escaping the necessity of paying the
indemnities.
Finances Ruined
Frances efforts to effect her own
restoration have ruined the public IL
nances. If 3. choice must be MADE
between the ruin of France or the
ruin of Germany, it is Germany
which must accept the painful OPP
Grafton. The French debt is held,
not by a few wealthy citizens, but
bv everybody. Reputation OF the
debt would be disaster leading to
something like a revolution IN
France, The German debt is held
largely by great industrialists and
rich people. Germany could, there
fore, survive socially the reputation
of her national debt.
M. Poincare believes sincerely, IN
the writer's opinion, that peacetul
ARRANGEMENTS are possible. The tenor
of the latest note from the German
government from the Preparations
commission indicates that Germany
is in a conciliatory mood. M. Pom
care, however, is not disposed to be
put off with fair words. He lntenfs
to insist upon actual reparations OF
some kind. He will not hesitate to
act alone if an agreement with the
allies is seen to be impossible.
Dispatches from the United States
indicate that there is a misunder-
standing as to M. Poincare's attitude
toward the British proposal to call
q meeting of the supreme council.
M. Poincare never opposed Such
meeting, but while the British want
if to be held before May 81, M. Poln-
care maintains that it can only be
useful if it takes place after that
date when the Preparations commls-
sion has fully reported on Germany
final decision.