Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-07-31
SAYS GERMANS
READY FOR WORLD
PEACE AGREEMENT

Williamstown. Mass, July 3d.
The German people are determined
to cooperate in world organized
for peace and against war, Count
Harry Kessler of Berlin said here
tonight in the first Of his series of
lectures before the Institute of Poll
tics at Williams College. The
speaker was the first representative
Of Germany to appeaS before the in
stitute OF politics since it's organiza-
ton three years ago. Declaring that
the majority of Germans today hate
nlilitarism, Count Kcssler said:
THAT is their idea now and that
was their idea long before the war
was over. 1t was not because they
despaired of victory but because
they had learned to set all their
hopes on a firmly organized peace"
Responsibility for the great war
was placed by Count kessler upon
men in high places in every coun-
try Of Europe who. instead of grap-
ping with the fundamental facts
and problems of the European sit
uation, were satisfied with make
shifts which no one could reason
ably trust.
Stories of atrocities during the
war were greatly exaggerated, the
count said; the worst devastation
was the poisoning of human minds
with propaganda.
Trade competition generally forms
1,f,I oe En-, i l.
tween nations, William S. Culbert-
son, leader of the conference study
ing the commercial politics of ma
items, told that section today.
Countries which are at peace to-
false sense of security through
peace societies." he said, land
through pleasant references to their
past relations with neighbors and
former allies. But If economic rival
ry is permitted to go on unrestrain-
ed, unsuspecting nations will wake
up some morning to find themselves
at war"
Other conferences today discussed
the league of nations, the problems
of the Pacific, the Near East, and
the law of the air.
Canon Dimnet delivered lecture last
Friday. the opening day of the insti-
tute, on the relation of France to the
treaty of Versailles. The lecture, the
first of series. was devoted in part
to refutation of what Canon Dimnet
said was "a vague impression now in
the minds Of most people that France.
not the Allies with her, was responsible
for the Versailles treaty, that she made
it in a spirit which was not the spirit
of peace, and that she is selfish in re-
fusing to modify it while her former
associates are anxious to do So"
Declaring that this state of opinion
was due largely to two books. one by
former Prime Minister Nitti of Italy.
and one by Mr.. Keynes of England.
Canon Dimnet described Signor Nittit
as "pacifist and pro-German," and
quoted former President Wilson as say
ing on June s, 1919. that the treaty
seemed to him in perfect accord with
his IA points. The lecturer added:
1.-The greatest reproach against the
treaty is that it's annexations are sure
some day to arouse the anger, espe-
cially of Germany, and bring fresh
wars. What people have in mind when
they say this is the treation at the eX-
pense of Prussia, Austria, Hungary and
Turkey of what an economist calls
numerous and sundry new nations in
Europe. That such a statement should
be possible is amazing. The creation of
those nations was not only the main
concern of the IA points, hut gave the
World War it's moral character. The
liberation of Poland. Czecho Slovakia.
Jugo Slavia and Pennsylvania is the
counterpart Of centuries Of oppression
of those nations by their stronger
people also say that the treaty
caused the economic collapse Of Eu-
rope. The present lecturer has his
doubts about this so-callcd collapse.
AS early as 1919 Keynes and Angell
had predicted that it would come in a
few months. Four years have passed
and prophets are still prophesying.
Meanwhile we hear travellers stating
that Russia is fast recovering. austria
is getting better every day. We have
seen Poland waging an expensive war
against her neighbor; and as for Ger
many, in spite of the fall of the marx
she builds $4,000 tons of shipping ev-
cry three months. beating every other
nation by a long way, and the recent
report of the American-European at
taches about her economic condition
proves that she is building factories,
canals and railroads faster than she
did before the war. We are compelled
to make a sharp distinction between
wealth and money