Evening star., 1923-12-07
Upholds France.
Writer Draws Parallel With Ger
man Course in 1871. !.

To the Editor OF The Star:
1t seems incredible that sane human
beings should excoriate France for
insisting that Germany should make
good her reparations. The student of
history can scarcely hold such a view.
To threaten France with the necessity
of at once paying her debt to Great
Britain and to. the United States, pn-
Tess she agrees to, relax her hold on
the Ruhr savors not SO much OF a
FChristian forgiveness as of a desire
to resuscitate international commerce.
However Iaudablet .sthat economic
point of view may be In itself, no one
possessed of the facts of the German
occupation of France fifty, years ago
should for moment use It as an
argument.
France, defeated In 1871, was re-
quired to pay an indemnity OF one
billion dollars. although the war had
been fought onEFrench territory and
Prussia had experienced no devasta-
tion whatever not 50 much as the
shaking of a beehiye. To be, sure that
the last sou should be collected. Ger
many occupied as a guarantee nine.
teen departments of France, a terri
tory as great in extent as the state,
of Pennsylvania. This territory was
evacuated automatically in proportion
TO the payments made, the last mil :,
lion being paid off in September, 1879.
If there is any cogency in contrast,
note the fact that France, after the.
world war, demanded no indemnity.
| She merely asked for reparations for
the most ruthless. vandal-like devas-
nation ever inflicted on another Her
colossal blunder was in not requiring
substantial guarantees from = foe
seemingly lacking in the principles of
honor. The left bank of the Rhine,
stipulated in the treaty of Versailles
as guarantee, yielded no real return,
as the allies were not permitted to
| take stick OF wood without pay
ment. When Germany crawfished on
every obligation, and when France
had before her the herculean task of
reconstructing her own homes. cities
and agricultural districts. then France
and Belgium decided to take the prob.
lem of reparations into their own
hands.
Note another pungent contrast: The
German government has used its
funds, not to pay it's just debts. but
to bolster up the Inhabitants of the
Ruhr to embarrass the French SOL
| diery IN every way. Fifty years ago
President Thiers of the French repub-
lie not only paid off the debt with
marvellous rapidity, but required the
| French officials to show every cour-
tesy to the occupying forces of Ger
many, going SO far as to compel the
projects and subprefects to call, on
the German commander on the occa-
sion OF the kaiser's birthday and to
leave their cards. This day was cele-
brated with a pomp and obtrusive
pageantry that must have been gall
ing to the French officials. Theirs
was resolved that the. blatant and
boaStful conquerors should have no
ground of complaint against the in
habitants of the stricken country.
Any student of history familiar with
the circumstances of the coronation
of the King of Prussia as Kaiser of
Germany, in the chamber Of mirrors
|, in the grand palace of Versailles,
with every display OF naughty and
boastful triumph. though accom-
panied by effusive prayers of thanks
giving to the God whose laws they
were hourly breaking, must truly
marvel. not only at the moderation of
Theirs fifty years ago, but at the re-
straint of the French today in their
efforts to induce Germany TO keep
her word.
1t may add interest to the present
situation to remember. that Won
Moltke. in discussing the treatment
to be accorded France in 1871, frank
ly objected to any act "of untimely
generosity which might lead them to
forget their defeat" Whatever views
we may hold as to the duty OF for
giveness, 1t is generally held that the
offender should come with full con-.
cession of wrongdo!ng and ask par
don. This state of affairs seems some
what distant today in the spirit of
Germany. Let US not weaken the
hands of our allies whose chivalric
blood so lately mingled with that of
our own heroic sons.
JASPER BOCOCk