Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-12-17
Army Of. Occupation Menace
to Germany; No Reparations
Possible Until Troops 60
Allied Forces Living in Luxury Eat Up Surplus
and Keep Nations in State of Turmoil; Con-
tinuing Of Present Policy VIII Only Breed
Hatred and Hasten Strife, Says Harden.

crushing weight laid Oh the new Ger
republic.
The building of new and the refit-
ting of old barracks have been demand
ed time after time.
Schools Closed
Hundreds of German schools have
been closed to their pupils and turned
into offices and quarters for occupa-
ton purposes and the control com
mission. The best rooms in innumer-
able private houses have been demand
ed from the owners and the pay OF
troops. officers and eoiaa H ssfens 70
gether with ~extrayagant demands Tor
the eostliest furniture have swallow
ed as everybody must realize many
of marks. Yet one of this
has gone to France in the way OF re-
parations.
Let me set down just a few OF the
things the allies have demanded. In
the last Is months they have demanded
and obtained complete furnishings for
10, 300 bed rooms, 5000 dining rooms,
$500 studies, 1900 drawing rooms. .
900 club arm chairs, 800 ladies. writing
tables. 500 dressing tables, 72.O0O
glasses for white wines, Il 900 glasses
for red wines, $4,000 glasses for port,
$4,000 glasses for champagne, o3,oOO
small glasses for liquors.
Germany must pay for all this de-
spite the tremendous prices prevail
ing, the same Germany in which thou.
sands of engaged couples are forced
to postpone their marriage because
dwellings are understandable and they
are unable to pay for even the poor
est furniture.
Do not the victors realize what a
perilous amount Of hatred is being &C
cumulated in the hearts of these peo-
pie. who of course, do not reflect that
the armies of occupation do not wish
to give up the habitual comfort! Dc
they not realize to what extent they
are ~lessening the possibility of repara-
tions, and so must they are increasing
the difficulties Of those who are en
deavoring to weed out all seeds OF
hatred, desiring first a mutual under
standing between France and Ger
many and afterward throughout al
Europe?
Crush Germany
1t is shrieked to the German people
from all sides that the continued ec-
eupation of the Rhine betrays an in
tention on the part of France to crust
Germany. On top of this comes the
French book entitled Occupation q
Liberation du Territoire." which proves
BIZ its own testimony that from 1871
and 1882 the German army of occu'
patton in France averaged every u n
necessary oppression of the defeated
French and despite the winters colo
quartered its officers in wooden bar.
racks to free private houses and hotel:
of this heavy burden.
Those who look foresightedly mus
realize the terrible danger Of future
wars inherent in an occupation which
prevails though doubtless only continu
ing their accustomed way OF living
seem to the, oppressed German middle
classes to be reveling and feasting ik,
maharaJas.
ANY international pact ~guaranteein:
the safety of Frances frcAtier shoult
demand the evacuation Of all foreign
troops in Germany. This would be
great step toward pacification. Ever
the best of troops become demoraiizet
when living in a cultured land NOR
lu%xuriously than the natives and will
the opportunity to speculate in goods
and money. The most effective
speeches of Tiger" Clemenceau ant
Premier Poincare will not preserv,
their country from suspicion. 50 long
as the occupation lasts, that French
predoninance on the continent is nor
important to them than disarmament
and real peace.
Hasn't the Preparations problem pro
duced enough economics during thu
last four years. and isn't it time that F.:
solution was here?
Yet, as / say it can never be OBJ
tanned by present military methods
Germany cannot find dozens of billions
of gold marks today or tomorrow, no.
can Germany lame the industries of hel
country by tremendous exports no
mortgage her woods and mines ar
railroads.
But Germany could entrust thes'
guarantees in part OF wholly for a lin
tied time to a corporation including
Germany's industry, agriculture. com
merce, banks and in companies who
without foreign control, would TAX
care of the PREPARATIONS debt. Thit
would at least be a step forward, Will
awaiting the day when the people rec
ognize that lasting healing is only pos
sible by cooperation.
President Harding rightly said in hi
last message that no nation can TAX
from another it's burden of response
bility. IF the German people, wit
their industVal apparatus intact ant
their working energy aroused. pledg
their entire wealth for reasonable rep
arations. they would prove their feel
ing of responsibility and unquestion
able good faith, and if difficult tasj
succeeded-and of that there is n
reasonable doubt-the German natiol
would prove itself worthy of credi
and do more toward the stabillzatioi
of it's money than any outside mani
festation possibly could. Nationa
strife and Croanings can only depre