The Washington herald., 1922-07-30
Peace Hinges on Reparation
Question, Gibbs Declares
France Faced With Loss of Fruits Of Victory
Unless Concessions Are Made, He Says.
Future of Europe at Stake.


many In two ways as by double
edged sword. Despite intensive in
uus.rai aeveiopment so higniy organ
ulousnou. Germany enat 80 tar
.ae... s oeen p.ac.is no uns
p'oyn., uernanps puchasihs
po"eI ol raw ma.er,ais from EheiAho
.s.- ue ehe SANE
,n,., ~ VI ne man.
~ mas anu io~ coses oue 70 'hal
ahia to ,,,,r. Pr,..i ..s >, n, zen sa
,,ar rrat. oue y, "1I ~
Asa.,,ti.,a Dh,, a .or ns.ahee IN .ne
haea,,sa - .L i.a., Sn 10 Nv vs.
goods ~ VI e'e"p 'e' iA"n
nased On Rotten Finance.
But all this development on trade,
not yet back to pre-war figures, has
been based on rotten finance. because
Germahy's immense foreign debts
have absorbed all her profits. de-
stroyed her credit. ana set the nrint-
ing presses madly spinning. That is
the broad. undenia Bile fact in ,nite ~
Germany's alleged wealth and her un-
doubted evasion of lust taxation bv
boarding monev in foreign countries
While her middle classes and Ia borers
are heavily taxed come ~ ber h;e ,,'
dustrialists and financial gamblers
,eapeu'
But their capture with all their new.
made wealth would not balance Ger
many's budget or prevent the national
disaster which Is close. 1t is folly,
beyond all words idiotic. to think that
for the sake of vengeance Germany
ought to be allowed to fall into the
ditch she dug. Her collapse on a
big scale would indeed be the down.
fall of Europe as a whole Her misery
Joined to that of Austria, Poland and
Russia would put us all back into
destitution and raise new devils of
tragedy and terror. The extremists
In Russia are waiting for this to hap
pen with hungry hearts. Moderate
men in Russia, Of whom there are
many though they are silent, look
forward with despair to such a thing,
for It would let loose again the floods
OF Bolshevism which have been re-
ceding during the past year so that
communism is abandoned in creed ex-
cept among small group of fanatics
who still hold Russia in their grip,
though they have modified their
strangle hold under the influence of
Would BE Dt.n.trous
rh.
car. nt St ~ouiu oe precipitated In
49,, revoiu.ion ana reac-
,,,o,,,, 80, LINK reactioh
T;ssStrous not .h's Sohc. would oe
g., IN r. ~ ~ many put
tor.rna tn,,o, me Henoa con-
~lelence ~ laiied because the question OF
will fail until that is faced and aat,
tied. The great hope now is that
France. who ruled 1t out before. is
willing now to face the facts bravely
and scientifically.
What are the facts about France? I?
They may be put in a nutshell. With
out the German indemnity on the
scale laid down by the treaty of Ver-
sailles. which was an impossible scale,
France cannot balance her budget,
cannot repair her devastated districts.
cannot pay her debts to Britain or
the United States, cannot maintain
neI army on tne present scale. can
n1l support her great colored legions
~en ~ she is raising In Africa for
heeu. cannot increase those
ohs CT aeropianes which made
ner famous. cannot hold her power
IN .ne air' cannot mold syria, cannot
uonl.ia.e european politics by the
presuse IN arms her military sup
polt oI aolaho' her military menace
su ans Germany. France therefore.
ne hiost olrectiy interested nation
IN 'ne settlement In Europe, for hav-
saihed the greatest victory she
ny now threatened with the loss Of
All i's fruits.
Must Modify Policy,
II she agrees TO cance, in ,re,t -
| the German indemnities sb. ~,
modify also her whole noIicv .nd mr.
nose ,nd ,ha;.. poey ana pur-
her preset supremacy Sbs -,
shorten the weapon in her hand She
must economize, as England bas donn
in the air and in lana Soroas ue liz
must risk. as EnAand 49, ~. -,n,.
so much, the future nanaca 10 ,' sA
geance of Germany II ,s anu os,,sa ke
France a great deal - W. ne sh
concessions. 'Nose
W,
.,s sees now with a clear