South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-01-15

the Versailles peace, Is the cause or
the alarming unemployment situa-
ton in the entente nations, the IN
tied States and other countries.
American. English. French and Ital-
ian workers are cold and hungry be-
cause their German comrades
against their own will-have become
wage underbidders. And in Ger
many the workers lack work be-
cause, owing TO the depreciation Of
money value, Germany cannot ade-
quately SUPPLY herself with raw ma
terials.
However, Germany IS not only
compelled 10 pay every available
penny. but beyond that she IS pre-
vented from building up her eco
nomic power. which would help the
allies as much as it would help her.
Ten thousand flying motors have
been destroyed, as have other i'm
portant things which easily could
have been converted to purposes of
production, and now there is serious
talk OF compulsory destruction Of
gigantic industrial undertakings.
The Federal German Works, which
formerly served only war produc-
ton, have been long since recon
strcted entirely upon a peace basis.
There are in those works no longer
any machines which could be used
for the manufacture of a single mill
tary rifle or cannon. Where former
.ly grenades and guns were made ma
chimes are today making office furni-
ture, motorcycles, also sport wea-
pons-but only such articles as never
could find any use in warfare
In case Of mobilization il would
take at least four months to manu-
facture a single SHELF This applies
20 all Of our former war plants. even
the biggest.
Let the master achievements Of
German engineering and technique
which are I'm the Deutschen Werke
and which belong 10 the German
people are to be wantonly destroyed
simply because at one time they
served the manufacture Of war wea-
pons.
Is that the sort Of policy OF which
the French government continually
speaks-a policy born Of the Will 70
be just? On the contrary, il is a
policy OF vengeance policy GER
tainly not designed to heal the
worlds war wounds And It is this
policy which makes It so extraordin-
arily difficult for the German repub-
leans to suppress the revenge idea
IN Germany.
II Is five minutes of twelve
high time that the world awoke to
realities.
One thing is certain-if the en-
tente insists upon its pound Of
flesh" then the disintegration OF the
German nation will progress further:
then not few hundred starving peo-
pie viii tear through the streets
plunderiug. but the catastrophe Will
seize the entire nation and plunge II
into the abyss-and il surely viii
drag the rest OF the world along.
II is our duty 70 warn of that dan
ger. We fulfill this duty not alone in
the interest Of Germany but in the
interest of the whole world. The
German nation has no idea OF refus-
ing its cooperation in the worlds
reconstruction. 1t feels itself honor
bound TO further that reconstruction
with all its its might and means.
Therefore. Germany is not beg
ging for mercy. imploring charity.
but II demands-justicei
We demand justice which will give
us q chance 10 unfold the best that
is in us justice which recognizes US
as an equal n embers Of the com
munity OF nations justice which
gives Us the strength to cooperate
with the other nations in esta blishing
permanent world peace.