Evening star., 1922-05-01
GERMAN-RUSS|AN
PACT HELDSTUP|D
Harden Calls It Greatest
BIunder Since Fatal
U.Boat War.
by MAx1MILIAN HARDEN.
Germany's Foremost P1blieist.

Germ0ny'a Foremost Hubuct1t
By Cable to The Star,
BERLIN. April 2s.--A deliberate
study and cold, calm analysis of the
situation In Europe today leads to but
one conclusion. There has been no
more fatal mistake in German policy
since unrestricted warfare was au-
thorized than the signing Of the sepa-
! rate treaty with the bolshevists.
The entire. world believes. although
erroneously, that besides the six pub
lished clauses Of the treaty there are
secret ones OF a political. even of b
military, character. because It IS har.
TO believe that q great. government
would 7go to an International CO.
operative conference :, like that Oh
Genoa and then sign 80 useless ana
harmful q document as this one. 1t Is
my opinion that the treaty is stupio
and disloyal and a crime against the
German people, but ! myself know
and can prove nothing was agreed
that there .was>no thought Of politi-
cal or military plan-indeed.s nothing
whatever behind this great noise ex-
cept the vanity and ambitions Of our
short-sighted minister. -Rathenau,
who. while intelligent, Is unfit for
,
costs to play prominent part at the
conference and score q point.
It's Wilhelm all over again this
time In civilian garb and uncrowned
Behind Wilhelm's speeches and ges-
lures, too, there supposedly was some
great exalted ideal as far above his
theatrical vanity as Einstein's brain
Eis above a film stars, but finally the
war lords everlasting playing with
matches produced the world con-
fiagration. .,
Rathenau Called rurncoat.
Vanity, said himself quite
free therefrom-is q first mortgage
favorite despite his Jewish descent,
and received the highest decoration
from the former kaiser. He wanted
to levy en- masse" in October. 1918,
instead of asking for an armistice.
He wrote that only Ludendorr had
| could continue the war indefinitely.
| Then he turned republican after the
defeat and called upon all Europe to
join in a general fight against the
world peril Of bolshevism."
In the spring. 1921. he published as
his view that Germany would be act
,ns knowingly dishonesty II she ac-
cepted the impossible London ulti-
matum. He Is much better educated
and Intelligent than Wilhelm, but he
This explains why Germany again
has been drawn into situation much
as frequently we had in the kaiser's
time. Nobody can imagine q better
means for nourishing the harmful
belief that the German policy is
selfish. dishonest and intriguing than
the conclusion of this treaty behind
the scenes. Any German minister who.
without possessing statesmanlike
talents. regards untruthfulness as the
highest diplomatic duty and turns
every report about conversations and
negotiations to keep himself always
in the limelight, Is entirely unfit to
represent his country's true interests
against Lloyd Georges brilliant cum
ming and tricks.
The. latter is wearing himself out
Of this ill-managed conference in
little combats with the French, who
are uncomfortably Independent. Thus
far he has only succeeded in making
the bolshevists act like conquering
heroes, though they came to beg rec
ognition. money and commercial in
tercourse. Three dozen capitalistic
states are vying for Moscow's favor
for the favor Of those whom formerly