The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1922-12-21

oriFe0 ouNn the AhfuAta OF our EUFo~
pean friends Clearly the situation
calls Tor The utmost Of concessions
and compromise By all concerned.
There are many factors 20 be eonsid-
ered Only a generous viii 20 get
together can possibly succeed
But there are certain fundamental
facts which Il Is urgently necessary
70 bear IN mind In the development
OF an American plan IL must never be
forgotten that we fought great war
side by side with our allies and 10
defeat an aggressor against internA-
tionRl law and a violator OF ciyiliEs-
ton. A due regard for these friends
and for international justice must re-
main always FIRST In our thoughts
There Is loose talk against France
at the present moment because her
government has been considering the
occupation OF the Ruhr district as
means OF forcing Germany TO pay. |
What needs 20 be remembered is that
some such pressure OF control must |
be an integral part OF any solution 4
by whomsoeyer presented. The Ruhr |
plan presents grave practical objec-
lions which have been seen as clearly
in France as anywhere else. France
has considered the plan only as last
resort, in case every other hope Of
compelling Germany in good faith TO
try 20 pay reparations should fail
What possible avail will II TO be loan
Germany $500. 600. 900. or any 9TH
er sum. II she persists in her policy Of ]
Initiation and evasion? France has
been willing for many months 10 I
scale down the German bin If she
could be assured OF united Allied !
front to enforce the collection OF the \
reduced sum. What must be faced
first, therefore, in any plan is the 3
question of how Germany can be 7
made to end her policy Of evasion, to
accept the judgment Of her peers and S
to pay the utmost of which she is '
capable toward repairing the damage
which she has done.
The fixing OF the sum which Ger
many can pay and the deyising OF
such Allied control of German finan-
.es as will insure the payment there
II must thus be the first items to be
The Administration is
light in insisting that the amount Of ~
he reparations must be readjusted
wholly apart from the question OF
.lned debts. The American people
night be glad TO remit the Allied
ebts to this country in whole or in T
art, but they would never remit
hem If remission amounted to
.merica's paying the German debt.
UGH a result is unthinkable. Yet
Mess the German reparations are
rst fixed at the maximum sum which
is practicable to collect it is clear y
hat such would appear to be the g;
If leniency to Germany -
ere shown, actually be the effect. Il
Once the total of PREPARATIONS is Fl
adjusted the second problem must r,
e faced How shall such a reduced D,
,tal be divided? The percentages ~
yed al Versailles under Mr. Lloyd -
eorge's enthusiastic demand for III
uge indemnities are obviously not b
ir when only sum barely large B;
lough 70 restore devastated regions q
ay be in sight. Many equities are =
and IL is at this point that %
le question Of Allied debts must rs
ainly be considered. II is com b
ex one. Thus far Congress has Ht
lown no disposition 10 abate even d,
Ie interest upon the American loans. on
here have been limitations that the VI
administration would consider the
after of interest There is a large al
ction Of the American public that
ould gladly go further In any
ent, this bridge cannot be crossed --
It'll the reparauons total is fixed, r
ID this fact must be made clear TO L
If European friends.
The third problem is the question
guarantees TO France against ag-
ession Mr. Harding suggested In
S address to Congress that the four
,wer Pacific pact might furnish
odel for similar pact in Europe.
neither this country would Join in Ha
oh a pact would rest upon the will
the nation when the precise needs pi'
the case were fixed. de-
II is an Incidental aid 10 the solu-
IN OF these three major problems lg
at private loan to Germany is to no,
considered. Our first duty is to
II friends in the great war. There we
much pity expressed in certain
.arters for hard-pressed Germany ied