Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1923-01-09
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E.rriar in AieNantri1 and Vicinity.
FRANCE AND RIGHT.

= FRANCE AND KlGHL.
,s''FHench Plan to Occupy Essen; Occupa-
ton OF Ruhr Valley Expected" dramatically
read the headlines as if heraldng the coming
NJ another war. France seems to be taking
drastic steps in an effort to force collection OF
the Preparations due by Germany. France IS
defying the god of war to again stretch iorth
his hand and take the world i'll his grasp ct
France is within her rights as they are clearly
defined in the treaty OF peace signed at Yer
sailles which i'll part reads
The measures which the Allied and
Associated Powers shall have the right TO
take. in case OF voluntary default by Ger
many, and which Germany agrees not to
regard as acts OF war, may include eco
nomic and financial prohibition and re-
!. prisals and in general such other meas
ures as the respective Governments may
determine to be necessary i'll the circunl-
O.: stances.
= Then would not France be wholly eNcrs-
able should she walk i'll. and take possession
of the Rrhr Valley Would She not be JUS
tilted by virtue OF the terms laid down IN the
treaty to which the German Government SO
thankfully affixed its signature after having
been thoroughly convinced that IL had bitten
off more than could be chewed comfortably
when she attempted to conquer the world:
Germany signed with right good VIII and
thanked her lucky stars that the Yankee boys
did not continue their victorious march to
Berlin-which after all doesn't look like 1t
would have been much OF 4 mistake
Retaliation may not be the proper thing III
some places but here we think it is fully luStl-
fed. What would Germany have done had
her fond dream OF conqueror OF the world
come true? Would she have been henient in
her dealing with her debtors: France has
been, geographically speaking, d very close
neighbor OF Germany Tor good long time
and ii any are supposed to know the various
reactions which take place within the skull
uf the Hun. France should certainly be that
one. She knows Germany and is acting
according TO her best knowledge and belief.
-. Then again. look at the suffering OF France,
the dead men, the Quilted factories, the Hood
ed mines, the backward children because OF
destroyed schools and poverty caused by war,
the ruined churches, nerVe-Shattered women,
the RACED orchards and forests, and the sunny
fields which were once fertile and productive
farm-landS and that are now nothing more
or less than a sore upon the face OF the TAR
earth unfit for anything Look at the money
France spent for the war Germany has sui
fered nothing compared with this Germany
brought the great struggle on. Ii She had
won. But that is not the question. She
did not wiu-thanks to France and the rest
of.the world France was the battlefield OF
the world Germany would have claimed her
share had she won and why not France? Are
the spoils no lorSc~ TIE victor'S;
France has tbs e.,'N 20 exact the repatriation
payments. Ii is costing money, and much OF
it. to repair the damage done by Germany in
her own selfShueSS AMI is it ne, Germany
duty to help restore that which She DESTROYED
in her ewn greed for gain:
America and England are il sympathy with
Frauce in this movement btu DO not wish &c
become physically involved in another world
turmoil such as the one lust past, France is
certainly sure she is right when she attempts
to take her would-rave -been-conqueror to task
for direc, violation 81 that treaty which was