Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-17
BY OLIVER OWEN KUHN.


r. tenn Of punctuation.
Where statesmen have failed.
since the signing of the treaty
OF Versailles, in the application Of
panaceas to revive the very, very
sick economic body of Europe, pune
tuation of the new sort, 1t would
appear. is about to work the charm.
strange as 1t may appear, commas,
periods, semf-colons and dashes have
all taken the same form, but in serv-
ing common purpose their effective
ness has been marvellous
When a. Frenchman has appeared
before the international commission
OF financial experts now adjudicating
the question Of Germany's ability to
pay adequate PREPARATIONS for the
hideous damage wrought in the world
war. his arguments UNFOLDING the
position Of Poincare and his govern
ment in application of political the
cries, where there should be economic,
frequently has been cut short with
a period Of the most explosive sort
Hell and Maria"
When the Belgian likewise has
sought to defend occupational efforts
In the Rhineland and the Ruhr, and
| their effect on permanent and future
settlements of vexatious problems. his
ears have burned under the not dip
lomattc, but nevertheless effective
Hell and Maria"
When the Germans came before the
financial experts in Paris and de-
manded certain privileges under the
guise. of complete bankruptcy, the
Germans met a Hell and Maria" bar
rage.
In Berlin, during the masshaling Of
facts to form basis for the financial
experts findings. one governmental
official after another was confronted
with Hell and Maria" outbursts.
Will Not Tolerate Buncombe.
| In short, countries most involved in
! the continued European disorganiza-
| ton have come to the conclusion that
| this Hell and Maria person is an
| individual that, being completely
sLorn OF pretense, will tolerate no
buncombe. And. according to advices
| which have reached Washington,
various contesting elements have de-
| cided that the most effective way in
| which to speed up reconstructive
processes Is literally and fguratively
get down to business and denude their
1 arguments and nationalistic treatises
| of balderdash.
Brig. Gen. Dawes, the American
head of the financial commission, has
l no
! ness OF getting results. In so far as
Preparations and Franco-German prob
lem are concerned he has pursued the
old axiomatic theory that a straight
line Is the shortest distance between
two points. and In so far as the work
Of the financial experts is concerned,
he personally has set q merry pace
for his cohorts along the road leading
from financial. moral and political
things in Europe.
1 The fire and verve OF the American
| chairman has been communicated to
every member Of the commission.
They have learned that personal
and even governmental desires
amount to nothing when 1t comes to
a cold calculation of Germany's abil-
ity to pay reparations. the thing they
have been picked for and a result
which Gen. Dawes is determined to
achieve.
Sure to BE Fireworks.
And when the financial experts get
down to business in Paris during the
i x& ~,
decisions as to the best way Ger
many may be rehabilitated to q point
| where the just claims of other ma
lions may be met, there is sure to be
| further fireworks. Sessions are sure
to see much pickering and strife in
asmuch as there must be agreement
of all members Of the commission on
the courses and recommendations to
be made to the reparations commits
| sion. According to advices which
have been received here the financial
experts after having gone into the
whole German financial question have
come to two big decisions, as yet. OF
course, to be submitted in writing.
they being:
First-The creation Of a gold bank
Of issue to be governed with equal
voice by the allies and the Ger
mans, which concern will be in posi-
ton to- at all times keep accurate
touch with Germany's true financial
position and act as a check to undue
financial exploitation OF one kind
and another.
Second-There will be recommends
lions that the industrial interests of the
iRhineland and the Ruhr be permitted
to Join hands uninterruptedly with the
Industrial and economic interests of
Germany proper, meaning. as this does,
there must be no interruption or sepa-
ration Of the various communication
systems, namely. the railroads.
In the first instance there will be no
| prolonged serious difference between the
| conflicting allied interests. for both
France and Belgium realize that this
will give greater assurance Of a square
| deal to the allies. There must be- am
] ulification Of the bank Of issue plan. in
tho hope of bringing all governments
into agreement.
- Second Issue troublesome.
In regard to the second issue, involv-
ing, as 1t does. abandonment by France
and Belgium Of their present method OF
| control over the Ruhr and the Rhine
land, there is certain to be fireworks.
Every measure that has been advanced
In the past by any statesman or finan-
cial expert, which has countenanced
the surrender OF the allies present
grip on the Ruhr, has been strenu-
tously resisted in both Paris and Brus-
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