Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-01-14
BY OLIVER OWEN KUHN.

amount OIL
Geves is due?
France says yes. The remainder
i the world outside Belgium ana
France is unconvinced.
With occupation of Ruhr regions,
thc heart of industrial Germany, an
equality after four years of threats
On the part of Paris; with french
troops holding Essen and threatening
TO extend their domain of influences
with the Germans fired to pitch OF
patriotic fervor not exceeded since
1914: with the Teutons determlnedIy
setting in force means of passive re-
Iistance TO the French, the critical
period is about to come. Eventualltles
me dare not forecast.
Anything may happen in Germany
Within the next two weeks.
There is every reason to oeheNe
that a little bit of everything Will
happen before the French grip on
the Ruhr and Rhineland is loosened
and Germany once more is permitted
10 assume its old form. Inere are
further reasons for predicting that
before the French have evacuated
rom their present position a peTlou
Of extreme chaos will be ushered In
not only in Germany out otnef poiHlS
in Europe as well.
Facts Must Govern Judgments.
The whole question of the justice
or Injustice OF the French action can
not be predicated upon mere personal
feeling for either the French or the
Germans. That one detests the Ger
mans is not sufficient reason for up
at Inr iC G.
like for the French reason for up
holding the Germans in their various
efforts to resist application of French
dictates in regard to PREPARATIONS. Ohe
3d. st come down to economic ana
% .nciaI facts. study these general
r"coustruc:ive tides throughout tne
I'D world. that are aftected by lne
present situation. Facts must pc
Weighed before one can gain any
comprehensive idea as TO the possible
results of the French occupation;
Md in considering these frst OF al
the question must be asked:
can the French expect to thrott!e;
even control. a region in which 23
per cent of Germany'S total populd.
ton is employed: where IL per cent
of the railroads of the natlon carry
:, per cent of the nations freight,
where 100 0OO.0 of the nations 49,
OOO, 900 tons of coal are mined; where
Al per cent of the country's iron ore
is found: where 20 per cent of the pig
iron is produced and a preponderant
uroportion of other minerals essen
ifal to the life of Germany, without
rddical upheavals on the part of the
Germans?
Fursaking for the moment the ma
liouaI and political reactions TO
French cndcavor. will Germany re-
main long aSsive under the French
yoke, when there is increasing suffer-
ing as the result of industrial disor-
".tnzation"
These are questions that have to be
considered, must he enalyZed in con-
S.deration of any thesis governing
realization of French hopes of coll
Letting desired Preparations from Ger
many.
French Sure of Resistance.
In the first case it cannot be ex-
pected that the French will be able
10 build up sufficient industrial or
ganization within year that can
produce as German-governed indus
tries have been producing within the
past year. Even though the French
were able Immediately to staff with
Executives every industry in the Rhine
land and the Ruhr, there is grave ques-
ton that the worker in the ranks will
produce TO his fullest power. Al
compel the Germans to deliver to the
when the French make every effort to
compel the German to deliver to the
fullest there will be created a pro-
portionate resentment, one not con-
ducive to adequate production or even
peace. Furthermore, the French al
ready are handicapped by the remov-
al of the books and papers of the
Rhenish Westphalian coal syndicate to
Hamburg, which is another of the &C
general movement to resist successful
French application of sanctions.
Even though the Germans compla-
Gently go about their affairs, the
French will obtain little help, not
witbstanding the official demands of
Paris that the French commission of
experts receive every consideration
and every help from the German in
dustrialS and the laboring classes.
Even French threats to infiict fur
Their sanctions in case of an industrial
and labor boycott and reign of sabo-
tage are not expected to materially
sway the Germans from their resist
ance of French edicts. The French
undoubtedly may command. but the
success of their whole effort depends
upon the avoidance of Industrial and
labor upheavel, and cooperation not
only in the Ruhr and the Rhineland,
burt the rest of the country as well.
There is little chance of success.
Whole OF Germany Hit.
II the Ruhr and Rhineland laboring
populations were alone to be consid-
cred in the general application OF
French sanctions there might be some
hope of eventual realization OF
French purpose. but in dislocating the
source of supplies from the other in
dustriaI interests of Germany paraly-
sis is sure to spread, with consequent
labor and civil troubles. The Ruhr
has been Germany'S greatest indus
trial stronghold since the war. In
fact. it has been the one section OF
the country that has even approached
pre-war endeayor. This undoubtedly
is due to the fact that SHINES and
his capitalistic cohorts are firmly in
that the Industrial interests of Ger
many soon will be forced to capitulatt
with their chief Industries in French
hands, but there is question as tc
whether the industrial interests will
make any such move-immediately
mt any rate. The entire population OF
Germany is declared TO be behind the
government. With Chancellor Cuno's
announcement that the Germans will
Immediately cease to fulfill repara-
lions obligations the German indus.
trialists may see compensation ir
other directions. Cuno has the back
ing of the SHINES group. and 1t may
he fact that the decision to re.
nounce PREPARATIONS payments was in.
spired by the industrialists, who will
turn their efforts to closely uniting
Germany elsewhere, not only with The
purpose of eventually resisting the
French, but coordination of their in.
terests TO such an extent as to be In
position to fiout the French in the
Ruhr.
PROFESSIONALLY the remuneration Of
reparations payments will help Ger