Evening star., 1922-12-07

pentiture remains 10 per cent higher
and in Japan II per cent.
We have made Il similar serious ef-
fort in civilian expenditure. From
, II m;lliards 800 millions in 1920 this
fell to 9 milliards 800 millions in 1921
and to ! milliards in 1922 During
the opening six months Of this year
S.un0 government employees We're dis
missed.
In the existing state of things. who
j in the world is going to say that We
could have done better: Is France
destined to succumb through the IN.
difference or under the criticisms of
her allies France vigorously aided
herself What have her allies done
to help her? What have they done
to assure her of that reparation with
out which she cannot exist? w nat
have they done to assure her or her
security: Guarantee paCtS. If she
agreed to renounce her project OF an
nexing the Rhine, were offered her,
, but what became of them?
Isolation of France.
One may we'll ask If France is not
more isolated today than she was
back in 1914. when she had formal
alliance with Russia. Has the peril
diminished: Who can sincerely inn
ssine so when they assasSinate win
impunity in Germany such architects
OF peace as ErZberger and Rathenau.
the Catholic deputy and the Jews in
dustrial, and to the applause of the
crowd: when Ludendorff remains the
master of ultra-Inilitarist Bavaria
no one will deny the fact-and when
Hindenburg is seriously spoken of as
a candidate for the presidency Of the
republic"
France symbo!iZes and stands for
victory on the frontiers of Germany.
Should she disappear. then all the
- 49, Il
If the sentry is thrown to the ground.
what becomes of your own security?
The same applies to reparations 1t
was England which showed herself
the most intractible in this regard.
1t was she who insisted that Germany
should pay for war pensions as well.
Englands general election was fought
to the cry Of Make Germany pay"
Yet. less than six months later. under
the influence of her business men
and on account of strikes. she com
menced to draw US along the path Of
concessions.
France has advanced to Germany
90 milIards of francs and she has
received back in diverse ways but
: millards. And our reconstruc-
ton is a long way from being FIN
ished. And with the collapse Of the
mark they are talking freely of Ger
man bankruptcy. Is it not already
announced that the reimbursement OF
private pre-war debts standing to
Germany account is to be postponed
to 1928: Meanwhile German industry
is going at full steam and the big
banks pay bonuses and are extending
their activities. All the deposltors
hold foreign Investments. but the
reich. stepping forward. gives as It's
reason for demanding "a further five
years delay in the payments due since
the armistice the fall of the mark Is
il not ridiculouSc
1t is nothing but a gross Injustice
that the victims of an uncalled-for
aggression should have to make in
caiculable sacrifices in order to
stanch their wounds while their as
sailant steadily RECEIVERS himself and
begins once more to act with hatred.
Ii our allies of war continue to dis
interest themselves in this matter OF
reparation they will be called upon
to support the consequences as well
as ourselves in the last analysis.
Strikes, financial chaos, economic con-
fusion. How can those doctrinnaires
who expound theories of economic
solidarity" in favor of Germany dare
to refuse it's benefits to our country?