Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-09-04
France Stands Pat

umns of our esteemed metropolitan
contemporaries as r." IS to the Franco
German situation. The situation has as
sumed a shape that battles the most in
genfous editor There is nothing to hang
column editorial on. Occasionally shot
is fired somewhere along the line, but the
listening posts refuse to excite. They know
false alarm; there was nothing to shoot at.
The listening posts nod again.
The extent of this apathy may be inferred
from the fact that even prophecy is suspend
ed. When a metropolitan heavy has
passed the prophecy stage, he is all, as some
of the Georgia editors would frame it, "in. ="
wait for what may } from the laps of the
gods. For Ireland, too, has stalled. But,
beyond the Alps is Italy, and Italy is laying
down ultimatums, which is always an inter
esting performance. Gaelic, Gallo and Garlic!
Sounds like a toboggan slide.
Yet there is a phase of the Franco-Ger-
man situation worthy of comment which
seems to have escaped notice. We of Amer
lea are nation of gamblers. The sporting
side Of everything appeals powerfully when
we distinguish it. 1t is probably true that
nowhere in abe world is the logic of events
sooner seen than in America, and that is
why the typical American is such good
H. u, e,;f,
alton is muddle, but while the details of
it escape him, he sees it pretty CT in
the large. M. Poincare won a great victory
for France in America, by his plain state
ment that when Germany was in Paris in
1872 she notified France That she would re-
main until the last franc of the enormous in
demnity demanded was paid. America re-
members all about that marvellous denoue-
ment; how, though the government was abb
solutely bankrupt, the people of France
reached down into their stocking and paid
good francs, exhit at the same time a
reserve roll that amazed The world. America
understands that kind of loser and loves
him.
But if there is anyone he will love more,
1T is the man wLo will lay his cards face
down on the table and stand pat with his
all at stake. In other words the man who
can't be bluffed or inundated And so it is
that the American, who reads headlines
chiefly and, between the lines, sees France
standing pat as she did at the Marine. And
how he does despise a bad loser! '- hics''
with him means ju The rules of the game,
in bo
And everybody, including the German
government, which is bankrupt, is asking,
Is the money to satisfy France still in Ger
many or in reach of her people? There are
but two classes there now-the rich and the
poor. 1t is the rich that holds up the other
as a shield and pleads for mercy. Germany
did not send her money abroad during the
war; nor has she since, except to save it. 1t
is still there, but in fewer hands The mer-
chants bankers, manufacturers, c. 49lists
and the big familie~ haze it, but they have
not the patriotism of 1872. France knows
where the money is and so does the c nan
government
The demand for sound money, which is
the last and desperate expedient of the Ger
man government, carries with it threats that
constitute it an order of confiscation. 1t is a
reversion to the age of the robber baron, of
castle rule along the Rhine, when the wealth
of the passing merchant was seized by force.
1t conceals, a charge chat while the poor suf-
fer, the rich hoard money; and the charge is
accented by the excuse that the money must
be had to buy bread. When the poor reach
the limit of suffering they will go to the
same class for money, and with them will go
the torch and the sword