Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-06-13
THE WILL TO PAY

The fact that the international
loan to Austria was quickly over
subscribed sticks out emphatically
at this time when the world is con-
sidering the attitude of Germany.
The Austrians thought straight.
They regretted the war and said so.
They were licked and admitted 1t.
They evinced a willingness to do the
right thing If given a chance. The
world is giving them the chance. So
much for the woefully whipped, dis
membered country, once the proud
Austria.
Germany has expressed no regret
for the war. She has persisted in
blaming others for having begun it.
Her leaders have taught the German
people that they were unbeaten. that
the treaty was signed under duress
and that it should not be kept, in
short that its terms were impossible:
she has connived to make a worth
less currency under which certain
persons have thrived while others
have been robbed; her pledges to
pay have been sold all over the world
to those who had confidence in the
pledge Of Germany; her rich men
have distributed their wealth in 9TH
err countries where it cannot be
reached for reparations; of pride in
financial integrity in the eyes of the
world Germany has afforded no evil
dence; the only way by which she
would make her word as good as her
bond would be by making her bond
worthless. In such plight should
the world be expected to turn to her
By her duplicity she has tied the
hands Of her government. 1t is
dreading to tell the German people
the truth. to tell them that after all
they have been beaten in war, that
France has right to be in the Ruhr
and cannot be ousted except settle
ment be made. She sees the great
risk she would run in telling them:
they have suffered for her, have been
robbed by those who should have led
them into better instead of worse
conditions.
Germany has not been thinking
straight: her people have not been
thinking stXaight and how may the
crooked things be made straight
without reyolufionp
Possibly this predicament explains
that Governments failure, notwith-
standing the advice Of friends, to
make respectable offer. Hoping
against hope that division may
arise between the allies she is play
ing a crooked game against time and
deserves to lose, but in her downfall!
others would lose, knowing which
Germany whites. wheedles and
whines. Her suggestion to place
mortgages on her railways and GER
tain of the private industries is linn
tied to begin in 1927: what is there
| about Germany's crookedness to
! warrant assurance she would not
wreck the properties if possible to do
| so before they might yield the de-
sired revenue?
Certain we'll known authorities
assume that Germany is unable to
pay enough in the way of repara-
tons so that France and Italy would
be enabled to pay US the war debts
they owe us; that in consequence II
will be necessary for this country to
cancel those debts. Before that is
done, II ever. surely this country
will wish to know that Germany has
been made to pay what she could
What she can pay as 4 government
Is one thing. what she might pay as
a people with a will to pay Is anoth
or. Until she exhibits something OF
that will she ought to be persona
non grata in the fellowship of ma
lions. ought to receive none OF such