The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-07-14

Germany today IS the Germany OF
old, Gouraud said. 1t is called a re-
public, but the spirit and even the
name Of the old monarchy survives,
he said.
France fought the World War tc
make Germany incapable of commit
ting new aggressions and to exact
from her payment for ,lumage she
purposely inflicted on France, he de-
clared.s This brought up the ques-
ton as to the ability OF Germany to
start another war, and whether she
has given up the idea Of doing so, he
said.
Germany Still Strong.
In answer to this question he said:
To-day Germany has available over
100000 reservists who have seen ac-
tive service. She has 900 regular
soldiers as authorized by the treaty
OF Versailles, and $50 900 others be-
sides. Every one who goes to Ger
many reports that she is looking for
revenge. Her military leaders, de-
spite their already having led their
country to defeat, have not lost their
prestige: and the same group which
formerly backed up the pan-German-
ist policy of the Kaiser encourages the
German government to resist. Vet
eran leagues are being formed, and
calls to arms are being posted. A few
days ago I was talking with a Czecko-
Slovak captain who had just osfne
through Germany. and told me he had
seen inscriptions reading something
like this in many railroad carriages:
O1lt n n
aren't we going to do to The French
in the next war;"
Germans now maintain they were
not beaten in the war. he said.
LAS a matter of fact, they signed
the armistice only when they had to
in order to escape a capitulation
which would have been greater than
anything the world had ever known.
1t was then that. being completely
victorious after most unjustified and
savage aggression, we exacted only a
treaty OF peace based on moderation.
justice, and reparation. the like OF
which the world had never seen; there
was neither war indemnity nor loss of
territory, Alsace and Lorraine were to
be returned to France, and the war
reparations were limited to damage
to civil property.
I'VE French knew another kind Of
peace in 1871, when we were obliged
two lose two Of our cherished prov
inces and to pay mtlliards war in
demnity. which, by the way, was not
for reparation.
THE contrast Is striking between
that which happened in France after
1871 and in Germany after 1919.
France Paid
I'm France. in 1871, the government
cut down it's expenses, levied new
taxes, and raised loans, and thus was
able to pay off its war debt a year be-
fore the expiration of the time allowed
I'm Germany, in 1919. the govern
ment deliberately increased its expen-
ses, refused to levy the necessary
taxes, lowered the value of the mark,
caused its capital and money to be
hidden away and then argued that
poverty prevented her paying.
while Germany was thus running
her financial condition. did France in
sist on getting that which was due
her? No! She herself started to re-
pair the damage Germany had done,
thus making. in a way, an advance
of money to Germany; an act especial
ly to be commended as by so doing she
got herself still further into debt.
Finally, her taxes amounted to As
gold dollars per person, while IN Ger
many they amounted to only Is dol
lars.
WAS she able to continue any long
er attending conferences at which
there was no result?
France and Belgium decided not,
and by virtue Of one of the articles in
the Treaty Of Versailles, they decided
to seize a hostage, the valley of the
EChr.
Troops Were Orderly
"I cannot but praise the perfect
discipline of the French and Belgium
troops who were under the command
of the brilliant and kind man, my