The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-04-30

opinion that the treaty Is stupid and disloyal and a crime against the Ger man people, but I myself know and beyond what was published; that there was no thought of 9 political or military plan, indeed nothing whatever behind this great noise ex- cept the vanity and ambitions of our short sighted minister, Rathenau, who. while intelligent, is unfit for statesmanship and wanted at all costs to play a prominent part at the con- ference and score a point.
 Wilhelm all over again, this time in civilian garb and uncrowned. Behind Wilhelms speeches and gestures, too. there supposedly was some great ex- alted ideal as far above his theatri- cal vanity as Einstein's brain Is above a film stars, but finally the war lords everlasting playing with matches produced the world confla- gatioH.
 WIIheIna'n Favorite
 Vanity. said Bismark-himself quite free therefrom-is first mort gage on honor. Rathenau was Will helms favorite despite his Jewish de- scent and received the highest deco ration from the former Kaiser He wanted to 'levy an masse" in Octo- ber, 1913, instead of asking for an armistice. He wrote that only Luden- dorff had lost his nerve and that Ger many could continue the war indefi- nitely. Then he turned republican after the defeat and called upon all Europe to join in a general fight against the world peril of bolshe- vism" I nthe spring of 1921 he pub lished as his view that Germany would be acting knowingly dishon- estly if she accepted the impossible London ultimatum. He is much bet ter educated and intelligent than Will helm but he is dangerously like him in character.
 This explans why Germany again has been drawn into a situation such as frequently we had in the Kaiser's time. Nobody can imagine a better means for nourishing the harmful be- lief that the German policy Is sell fish, dishonest and intriguing than the conclusion of this treaty behind the scenes Any German minister who, without possessing statesman like talens, regards untruthfulness as the highest diplomatic duty and turns every report about conversations and negotiations that he himself always Is in the lime light Is entirely unfit to represent his country's true in- terests against Lloyd Georges bril- liant cunning and tricks.
 COmbats With French
 The latter is wearing himself out in this ill-managed conference it lit tie combats with the French, who are uncomfortably independent. Thus far he has only succeeded in making the bolshevists act like conquerlng heroes though they came to beg rec T tercourse. Three dozen capitalistic states are wing for Moscow's favor. for the favor of those whom formerly they branded murderers, robbers and deceivers.
 What material there is in this Genoa for a satirist like Swift Un- fortunately Germanys laughter has been checked by more serious con- cerns. This Russian treaty. whose signing never was approved by the clear sighted here. is called an alli- ance of the lame with the blind and fell like blighting hail on the first germs of Germany's gradually re- viving confidence Never since the armbistice has there been such dis trust of the Berlin government as is felt in France, Belgium, Poland, Czecho- -Slovakia, Rumania and even in eastern Switzerland, and on May 31 the separations commission must de- eide about Germany's future pay ments.
 Berlin's prompt negative to the commissions proposals without being accompanied by a practical counter plan is as useless in solving the problem as Tchitcherin's help. Unless the coming four weeks shall produce a Franco German economic agree ment, France, fearful of losing Eng lands help and standing alone before 200000.00O allied Russians and Ger mans will be forced by public opinion to safeguard her territory and cred its by the use of her military power before her feared opponents become strong. The result would be chaos with the fate of the continent at stake, and paradoxical as it seems. it Is every patriotic Germans duty to work for the fulfillment of Frances demands.
 to increase the sale of liquor. This action by Spain will bH a honnn ara n (,