The Washington herald., 1922-09-03
The European Deadlock.


i seemed in need of craftsmanship, it is the
present. Europe apparently is slowly approaching
chaos; world trade is stagnant and shows few
signs Of recovery; the Turkish scandal continues,
yet nothing is done. The elements in the stua-
ton are transparenty clear The reparatons clauses
of the treaty of Versailles impose upon Germany
burden which nobody not even the French
1atonalists, think she can pay. In consequence.
the German government, partly deliberately partly
OF necessity, has allowed its internal finances to
get entirely Of control, while the individual
German sends all the savings he can abroad, to
avoid taxation and because only in that way can
he prevent them from steadily falling in value as
the value of the mark declines.
On the other hand, the French government,
faced with the necessity Of rebuilding the devastated
regions in addition to the ordinary war charges,
sees its own finances also steadily going to ruin,
does little to attempt to set them in order, but
maintains unimpaired its claims against Germany as
the only hope of eventually balancing its budget.
1t proclairns its willingness to reduce its claims
against Germany provided the debts it owes to its
allies are remitted, and some practical can
be found for raising a separations loan on German
credit. the proceeds OF which be paid to France.
Meanwhile. on every occasion that Germany
defaults threatens to default on its payments.
the French government prepares to occupy the
Ruhr Valley in order to her, but recoils at
the last moment from taking military measures
which would have far-reaching political effects but
which would certainly not produce cash.
The British government has abandoned its
attempt to secure reparatons, for the governing
factor in its situation is its 100000 unemployed
1t has announced that its policy is to orego all its
claims, whether for reparstions as from Germany.
or for repayments of debts as from its allies, in
return for general settlement which will restart
trad of p,t "a
announcement of this policy with declaration that
it could only remit the debts owing to it to the
extent that its debts similarly treated If
they were not canceed it would be forced to collect
from It's allies whatever it had to pay to the
United States. So its policy is OF no practical
service to France. And its attempts to restrain
France from extreme courses are weakened because
it is unable to show her how she can recover any
worthwhile sum on account of reparatons from
Germany.
Finally. the United States government, bound
by the act OF Congress which establishes fund
ing commission and forbids it to discuss anything
other than the terms and conditions on which the
interest and principal of the allied debts should be
repaid. sits still and does nothing
4 IS not pretty picture Every government
is waiting for the other to take the lead. And all
the time conditions in Europe steadily getting
worse. the number of women and children who are
suffering is increasing. the cost and difficulty of
recovery is becoming greater Is it not obvious
that the only way of solving this problem is for
all the parties to come together decide upon what
ought really to be done to start the world going
again, and then each do its appointed share? The
time may not yet be ripe for such action Passion
and unreason may be still too high. Of that per-
haps expert opinion is the best Judge But of the
general proposition there scarcely be two opin-
ions. The present disorders of the world are too
serious too deep-seated, TO! piecemeat treatment
Nothing but the cooperation of all the civilized
nations will avail to set them right There is GER
tainly an opportunity and need for statesmansbip
today-Christian Science Monitor