Evening star., 1923-05-06
GOOD FAITH IN OFFER
OF GERMANS SECUTED
Frances Refusal to Be Expected-Poin.
care Now Must Reveal Own Terms,
as Belgians Demand.

lore eltner VIII consent TO deHDera-
tlons of any character whatsoever.
If Germany really is as fearful Of
Europe's future as she processes. and
II Germany Is as near complete finan-
cial, economic and social collapse as
she claims. then Germany. undoubt-
to reiterate terms which are practi-
cally the same that Herr BurEemann
carried to Paris SO unsuccessfully last
January.
Half-Hearted Effort Futile.
Germany cannot expect to obtain
sympathy by half-hearted effort.
Much as the nations Of the world. and
particularly England and the United
States. would like to see the French
hand loosened from the German in
dustrial throat in the Huhr for tho
sake Of general equilibrium, Germany
cannot expect either to sanction anv
scheme meaning complete German
avoidance of the terms o: Versailles.
Sympathy and outside :,ii will only
come with greater degree OF hu-
mility and show of better spirit and
sented during the past weel are but
hodge-podge. OF German political
thought.
When it is seen that the shell which
the German foreign office designed
and hurled is "dud." then prepara-
tions Immediately may oc lsherc1 in
for more effective peace ammunition.
But the burden Of settlement does
not rest wholly upon Germany.
Plan Now Up to French.
II the Germans, as they claim, have
offered all they safely can and pre-
! serve their national identity. then it
behooves France and Belgium to
make known terms upon which they
will treat or the terms more amen
able of acceptance. The French have
insisted that the treaty of Versailles
! be lived up to in full. That the Ger
mans cannot pay the tremendous sum
of $4,000, 100000 while consenting to
enforced sanctions guaranteeing fu7
! ture tranquility is a fact accepted
! generally. There is not an economist
today who will defend such exac-
tions, they being held without the
hounds of reason or practfcality.
France and Belgium likewise must
approach a sensible f1gure-one which
Germany may be expected to pay
eventually.
If France desires only payment for
her losses then a figure can be set:
but If France is intent on carrying
out her political policies to the end
| embracing as they do the permanent
tenure of the Rhineland and the ex-
ploitation of the great Industrial Ruhr
for an indefinite period, then turmoil
must continue.
If France and Belgium set a figure
and provide for adequate guarantees
against default. then other powers
might intervene to help Germany meet
them. In case Poincare. does not
make known some plan other than
the impossible conditions written into
the treaty of Versailles, then pur-
ported French political annexation
purposes will stand revealed in all
their stark hideousness.
One Viewpoint Revealed.
We intend to consider the situ-
alton from the standpoint of Frances
to pay" is the remark attributed to
an attache Of Quai d'Orsay during
the past week.
If this should be Poincare's policy,
then Frances needs embrace control !
over the industrial and economic life
OF Europe through control of the
Rhineland and the Ruhr. policies
which will work for future warfare
and disintegration.
Even the Belgians are beginning to
chafe over the failure to enunciate
some set scheme which definitely Will
make known the purposes OF the
forces of occupation. When Premier
Theunis conferred with Premier Poin-
care in Paris in March 1t then wasy
decided that some definite plan be
framed. This plan so far has not
taken form. and, IL dispatches are to |
be credited. Brussels has made some |
pertinent inquiries, demanding that |
the French terms be made known at |
the earliest possible date.
Until these are definitely revealed !
In explicit demands upon Germany /
there can be little hope of ending the !
Ruhr deadlock. German passive re-
sistance will continue.
Germany. it is true. may make an
other offer under stress of necessity, |
but it is more than likely that none !
will come until the French have re-
vealed their purpose.
If the French and Belgian plan of !
settlement be clean cut. along broad |
lines and submerEe attributed politi- !
cal purposes for the common veal |
of Europe and the world. then the |
burden of proof as to good intent will !
be passed to Germany.
Compromise always Is possible when !
both sides enunciate given sets Of |
proposals. but unless the cards of |
both Germany and France are placed !!
squareiy on the table the future will |
remain enshrouded in claim and
counter claim, coupled with continued
disintegration Of Industrial, economic
and social life. not only In Germany
and France. but IN nations allied with |
them