San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-09
A BAD SITUATION

The reports coming out OF the Ruhr
district are not reassuring. There seems
to be an increasing possibility that war
between France and Germany may be
the result OF any aggravation OF the
present situation. There is widespread
unemployment which is constantly in
creasing, the food supplies are running
low and while the French are doing
all they can in this direction they do not
seem 10 be able to relieve conditions to
any great extent. The mortality Oi chill
dren is rapidly increasing, the deaths al
ready being twenty per cent more than
before the occupation OF the district by
the French. This lamcntable fact is
not chargeable against the French bat is
due entirely to the difficulty in obtain
ing proper food. milk being almost i'm
possible TO obtain.
1t is declared by the correspondents OF
English newspapers who are on the
ground that the situation cannot con-
tinue as it is for much longer time.
They admit that there is great difficulty
in obtaining accurate information but
are a unit in declaring that the inten-
sity> Of feeling is constantly growing
and that break must soon come from
one side or the other. They all assert
that the French would not hesitate to
declare war and that they are ready TO
make air attacks upon Berlin and other
German cities il war should result.
1t is generally conceded now that
the Allies made great mistake when
they did not advance to Berlin before
signing the armisticc That would have
been convincing proof that the German
armies had been defeated in the field
and were no longer able to continue the
struggle. This was the actual situation
and the German army leaders knew it.
They had already informed the emperor
that there was no chance OF victory on
the western front and said they had done
all they could hope to do. 1t was under
such circumstances that Germany con-
sented. to sign an armisticc that left her |
powerless to continue the war If she |
had even wished to do so. She knew
that the hard terms of the armistice-
and they were the most drastic terms
for an armistice that had ever been Of
fered to any nation-wcre the terms of
a complete surrender and they signed
them with that full knowledge.
Despite these facts it has been the con-
slant contention in Germany that her
armies were not defeated, that they were
actually victorious in the field but that
1t was the towards in the rear who !
would no longer support the ever-vic-
torlous armies that compelled the sign
ing of the armisticc This was grossly |
false, but the German people have fed
upon the untruth as, in truth, any other
nation would have done for the sake of
its own pride, and it is safe to say that
the majority of the German pcople be-
lieve that Germany actually won the !
war so far as fighting is concerned.
Naturally, such state of mind in
any nation does not make for the prescr-
walton of peace, especially when the fcl-
low on the other side has also the opin-
ion that he Won the war and has the
evidence to show for it.
Another war at this time would be
truly lamentable. 1t should be avoided
by every means in the power of the
civilized world. The earth has had
enough of horrors to last her Tor sew
eral generations and she wants nothing
more of the kind What the world
wants is peace and she cannot get too
much of it.