South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-07-23
WORLD PEACE NOT
LIKELY, VETERANS
OF WAR DECLARE
Men Who Served During Con-
flict Disagree as TO Results
of Struggle.
BY LINCOLN j. CARTER, JR.

Fifth division veteran. Yes. a very
funny thing. but our late festivities
with Germany, which filled US with
All those high ideals about nations
doing hight and saving democracy
and this being a war 20 end war
have turned out 70 be mirages just
as deceptive as any you'll find out IN
the middle OF the Sahara desert
and I guess there would be more
chance OF finding one OF 'em there
al that"
Perhaps Just disillusionment
replied the man with the American
Legion button IN his coat lapel.
Look at Europe now and tell me
r. the whole blooming affair was
worth IT,"
"Soap Bubbles"
We'll. q cost me two years out
Of my education and T. for one have
not regretted - The experience
was onderful-couldn't crowd so
much in an ordinary lifetime any
other way"
There might be some truth IN
that. but I'm talking about all those
soap bubbles that Clemenceau. Lloyd
Afth division man became eloquent
j. wagged his forefnger 70 empha-
size each point Just go back TO
the war days. 7 thought the only
way 20 preserve tho world was 70
whip Germany. once that was done
we would have a sort OF Garden or
Eden on the old planet. No more
troubles. no more fghting-get the
idea?
we would all be a happy family
then and might just as we'll have
world republic. But look at Europe
now. Every nation tried 20 get a
little more than any other did. The
old allies could no longer agree and
began TO have diplomatic battles
among themselves. The Reds or
Russia are full of the germ Of pass
Ing their great plans 70 other coun-
tries By force Half that fool con-
tfnent has begun 10 scrap with the
other half and II any are left out, IL
was pure %ersight Now. what good
die the fool war do anyhow, outside
Of giving a lot OF American girls the
chance OF rebuilding France accord
ing 10 our sanitary idealsF
The Legion member shook MS
head. you can not expect this old
world 20 reform that much In four
short years. Perhaps II may some
dav. but that IS a long time on.
Dreams Ike those were lack too
much OF the practical We were all
ready to believe them because war
exhilirates people, Il calls up emo
lions that cause people to believe
and seize on almost any thing which
sounds good Besides, it's lot
easier to fall into ways Of thinking
which coincide with what you want.
OF course that side or the thing was
waste OF time.
- But look at the practical II we
had not gone in there 10 beat Ger
many we might be IN bad shape
now"
True enough" said the veteran,
II admit all that and would go back
10 do - all over again from that
point OF view. What I'm getting at
were those pipe dreams. They never
would and never could be true. In
times OF emergency nations, like
individuals, will band together to
accomplish a common end. Now,
vouTI admit the war was bad
emergency. Even then they could
not all get together. II took them
years and nearly cost the war for
them TO realize they had TO pull to-
gether. suppose everyone in all
the Allied nations believed that they
would hang together the Same way
after II was all over. And all the
troubles OF the whole continent were
30 be settled so no country could be
dissatisfied. Now. all that would
have worked fine II II hadn't been
for human nature. Well. that and
facts that bob up because of natural
conditions. You might as well ex-
pect rival concerns TO stand together
in the business world"
The other man nodded IN assent,
Sure they have different interests
depending largely on their natural
resources and necessities"
Looking at Il from the dreamers
point OF view. the war was a terrible
failure and il looks 70 me as II the
treaty OF Versailles started more
than it ended"
I should think the continent
would have had enough OF hghting."
The Fifth division man agreed
yes. they probably have. But
France and England can't help being
az odds now because their economic
interests are entirey different IL
has developed into a case OF life and
death for each OF them as nations
The mIxup resulting includes Europe
as well.
France has a country the larger
part OF which has been devasted by
the warm fact some OF the best
OF her land She insists upon large
German indemnity % put the ground
back in It's former condition and
xeep her people going until II viii
produce the same crops Il once did
10 Is perfectly logical for her 10 be
paid by the losers for what they have
caused 20 lie fallow FOR her.
Then comes the question OF re-
sources France lacks a great many
which are absolutely necessary for
her existence Even with the coaI
and iron mines OF Alsace regained
she has not enough. She sees Ger
many as the place 20 insure the i'm
port OF a. least part OF these rom
And she rightfully fears Germany as
menace 10 her own existence as q
nation and just ike any individual
VIII hight for her home. That Is the
cause OF her harshness toward her
late enemy. as well as her stiflins
their trade 20 a great extent.
"Stul another factor Is the los:
OF her man power in the fighting
she has hardly enough labor 20 aid
her IN getting back 20 normal
Hence she = not averse 20 holding
Aup economic relations until she is
- sure OF a nearly equal chance Her
Nth ate IL small and 81 VIII faks