Evening star., 1922-09-03
Germany Not Yet in a Mood
Where Mercy Would Be Benefit

up the wrong tree. In the coursa OF
a. cenvefsation / referred to the in
cfdent - a superlative bit Of den1a..
eo4efy, and suggested that, OF
course. the speech was intended
merely to tickle the crowd. lfna6-
Inc my surprise when was inform
ed that I was wholly mistaken II
regarded ss a myth the German se.
lief that Germany had been invaded
and that the war was one Of pure
lf-defense on the part OF the
fatherland.
do not at this time refer to the
question Of the German indemnity
from the economic standpoint. am
not writing Of it now with reference
Of the world. I am not expressing
any opinion is to whether the In
dennnity should be decreased to aid
: In the resuscitati0n Of economic life.
I am speaking Of 1t only - to the
effect a great reduction In the In
demnity might have In firmly hxing
in the minds Of many Germans the
idea that their country was blame-
less in bringing on the war.
Nations are much like individ-
uals. OF course. the composite
view Of a nation ID not always
Identical with the view Of its
citizens: nevertheless. 1t takes
most of its hue and color from the
convictions Of the individual. In
the course Of my professional life
/ had fo do with a good many
criminals and ] never found an
undoubtedly guilty man who was
not convinced that his guilt was
more the result of the conduct OF
somebody else than of his own. 1t
is easy to salve ones conscience
fellow drove him into wronsdoing.
Later in life when 1 had 1t within
my power to extend or refuse
clemency to those who had been
convicted of crime. I learned that
the worst abuse of the clemency
power was to extend clemency TO
a criminal as long as he held the
view that his breach of the law
had been brought about. not ny his
of the person whom he had in
jured I found that clemency
wrought for good only when the
criminal broke down. acknowI-
edged the error of his ways, ad-
mitted that whatever had been
done against him was not justihca-
tion for his conduct. repented of
his act and resolved, II given a
chance. to build on the ruins OF a
in life.
Money is good. prosperity is to
be desired, trade and commerce are
the normal cal1ings Of humankind.
Under usual and ordinary circum-
stances whatever right thinking
men can do in honest ways to fur
should be done. No one desires a
revived Germany in her own in
terest and the interest of man
kind more than do. A sinner my
self. hope for aesolution. but 1 do
not expect 1t until I have confessed
the error of my ways. I expect the
charitable judgment of my fellow
men and the helping hand in mine
hour Of need when 1 have stripped
myself naked and sought not to
conceal my deformities. But. how
ever desirable the restoration of
conditions to a normal basis may
be. I venture to suggest that the
same law Of life applies to national
conduct which applies to indivi-
dual conduct. I do not pretend to
say that Germany should not have
q reduction In the amount OF her
indemnity. I do not even suggest
that she should be driven out to
Join the tents Of Ishmael in boil
shevist Russia. speak Of no re-
venge. But I lift my voice in de-
tense Of what believe to be the
truth.
80 long as Germany maintains
her attitude that she was not re-
sponsible for the war and that she
was the assaulted nation, the hour
has not yet arrived when her con-
science has been sufficiently touch
ed to justify any reduction from
the standpoint of truth. The mo-
ment that she repents in sackcloth
and ashes, sees a new light and
resolves to follow the Gleam of fra
ternity and not Of militarism, then
even France would probably join
the world in saying, I'VE all pray
for mercy. and this same prayer
doth teach us to render the deeds
of mercy" In this case, mercy too
soon extended will not help the
world.
Copyright. 1922. BY Thomas R. Marshall.)