The Washington herald., 1922-08-20


people are resolved not to pay the
present reparations figures. which
they assert are impossible. Grant,
ing the impossibility, however, what
IL expected Of the German politician
Ii not TO nnd way by which Ger
many can pay q reasonable repara-
Itions total. but means by whicn
Germany can escape payment.
France Near Bankruptey.
As to France, no ministry can live
that consents that German burdens
be reduced while French remain in
l tact. France Is just about as near
to bankruptcy as Germany. but the
French bankruptcy Is due primarily
to the costs of restoring the devas-
tation wrought by German troops on
French soil. This and war pensions
have cost France $4,000. .oo0. 900 %
far, and this vast sum stands as q
charge which must be shouldered
either by German or French tax
payers In addition German attack
forced France to borrow 81. 1000, ,000,-
900 from her American and British
partners. Here is total of $4,000
100000 which must be paid either by
the French or the German people.
| Consider. then, how long Poin-
care would last II he agreed in
London or elsewhere that, the sum
of German payments should be re-
duced to say $12.5o0. 900. 900 but the
total of French payments should
be maintained at $4,000, ,o0o. 900.
What use to tell the citizen of a
country with a smaller population
and partially ravaged territory
that he must pay more than the
neighbor whose territory IL un-
ravaged and contains a population
half again as large? Yet this is
what is demanded of Poincare.
This Is what has been demanded of
all recent French prime ministers
and all but one of them have fallen
because they were suspected of
giving even limited consent to such
a suggestion.
The British situation, however. is
little different. We have the re-
cent Balfour note to prove that
Lloyd George. who knows his eIec-
torate better than any living poll
tician. does not dare to tell the
British taxpayer that he must pay
the United States and cancel what
Europe owes him. The main profit
In such a transaction would be
British. 1t is the only discoyerabIe
way by which German reparations
can be reduced. British trade and
Industry restored and unemploy-
ment reduced from its present ter
rific height. Yet Lloyd George. SO.
far from daring to make this ex-
phantom, agrees to the Balfour
note, which in substance repeats
the Poincare text, for Poincare
m n N
1 pay. and the Balfour note said that
Britain's creditor being obdurate.
Britain's debtors and not the Brit
ish taxpayer must face the conse-
4 quences.
Cancellation Of Debts.
Finally there is the American
electorate. Does anyone suppose
that the Republican party, now on
the eve of Congressional election,
would enlist popular support by
declaring in favor of cancellation
of allied debts2 Would the Demo-
cratic party venture to contest the
election with a platform declaring
Tor such cancellation? No, for the
american taxpayer knows that IL
MS European debtors do not pay
he will have to carry the load. 1t
is case of $11. .0e0, ,00O, 900 with
him. just as II Is a case of $4,000
100000 with the French taxpayer
and s5.ooo.eoo.ooo (the American
obligatory with the British.
In the United States we believe
that the cause of the European diff
nculties is militarism.. Imperialism
and unrestrained appetite expressed
IN the versailles treaty and its
companion pieces. In Britain they
oeiieve It Is French Imperialism
ana American rapacity. French i'm
perialism expressed in the French
attitude toward Germany and
American rapacity expressed in our
attitude toward our British debtors.
In France they believe It is funda-
mental German bad faith encour-
aged by British readiness to sacri-
nee French necessities to British
industrial and economic interests.
AS for the German, he has con-
vinced himself that he Ia under no
obngation to pey at ALL He be-
ieyes that he was attacked, al
.hough hrs assailants, taking a leaf
out OF Bismark's book Of 1870. were
ciever enough to maneuver his
| FOOLISH leaders into making the first
declaration of war. He is taught
In his daily press that reparations
represent the French determine
to destroy Germany and resistance
passive now. violent in the future.
Is his hope and purpose.
| Must Pay Cost Of war.
Now underlying all else is the
simple fact that some one must nav
the unliquidated costs of the war.
i The treaty of Versailles hxed the
costs upon the German but by de-
Tliberate bankruptcy he has 40 far
escaped. Moreover in escaping he
has closed his own market to Brit
ish manufacturers and by currency
inhation been able to undersell the
Briton in many foreign markets
with the result that there has been
vast unemployment in Britain.
Faced by this unemployment, Brit
ish Craftsmanship has sought the
reduction of German reparations.
only to encounter French Opposition.
To dispose Of this French OPPOSE
ton the Briton has proposed a gem
eral cancellation of allied debts,
which would wipe out $1,000, ,OoO,-
600 OF the French foreign debt
along with $5,o06,00o.o00 of the
American. But at this point the
Briton encounters the American,
who having many debtors and no
creditor would have to play in q
wholly one-sided game. Failing to
persuade America. the Englishman
hnds himself face to face again
with the Frenchman. who Is un-
disturbed over the prospect Of Ger
man ruin. II his own ruin Is not
IN ha n - ~ t. H.