Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-08-01

the Cologne area would make a de-
Cided change in all the military plans
OF France as affecting the Rhine.
There is great difficulty in reaching
an agreement regarding defaults and
penalties under the Dawes plan. The
bankers who are expected to under
write the loan to Germany are in
sistent that no action shall be taken
hereafter which might imperil the
security of the investment. American
compromise proposals. which would
require the approval Of members of
the original Dawes committee before
Germany's default could be declared
by the reparation commission have
not received the approval of France.
The French government holds that
this proposal would be equivalent TO
setting up an authority superior to
the reparatlon commission in dealing
with Germany. which it holds. would
be violation of the Treaty OF Yer
sailles. France stands upon the let
ter Of the treaty. The British gov
eminent stands rather upon its spirit.
and is willing to agree to what might
he construed as an amendment of the
treaty il such an arrangement will
facilitate the execution of the Dawes
plan. AlthoHeh incessant effort is
made to bring all the parties into ac-
cord, the pOStpOnemCnt of the invi-
tdtion to the German ENJOYS Is evil
dence that the allied powers are not
Yet in agreement upon vitality inn
portant features of the plan. Thus,
on the tenth anniversary of the war,
peace is yet to be made.
The changes wrought by the war
and by delayed peace have put a new
face on the world. Human nature
..r-
tons are certainly unique. OF the
four empires that have gone down,
one has been dismcmbered and its
peoples placed under new flags. An
other is in the grip Of vast con-
spiraCy that seeks to rCStrOY all gov
ernmcntS as heretofore constituted
Another. with astonishing vitality,
has been transformed into republic
in Asia, where q strange mixture of
oriental despotism ana occidental lib
erty is working toward ends that
can not be foresCcn. The fourth. Ger
many, is republic in name. but
seems to be sWaycd at times by Vio-
lent reaction. and its stability as
either republic or monarchy is yet
to he gained. Hundreds of millions
OF individuals are affected in their
daily life b. the changes in those
four empires.
Warfare has been transformed
since the Austrians fired upon Bel
grade. The art of mass killing de-
VelopCd rapidly during the war, but
its greatest strides have been made
since alleged peace descended upon
the world. When the war ended.
men could fly only a short distance
at slow speed Now they can fly
around the world at great speed.
Poison gases We're used during the
war in a crude manner and on linn
tied scale, but now they have been
developed to the point where they
can be used to destroy cities and
devastate great areas within an hour.
Two or three long range guns toward
the end of the war terrified the civil
tans of Paris. but now there are guns
that can do execution at a distance
of more than 100 miles. Small sub
marines worked havoc during the
war: now there are supersubmarines
carrying 12-inch guns, with a cruis-
ing radius of 10000 miles. In the
ability to amass and utilize raw ma
terals for explosives, gases, guns.
vessels. airplanes. etc. the nations
are incomparably more resourceful
than they were in 1914 The recent
discoveries indicate that rays will he
developed which can strike down air
planes. blow up ships, and set fire to
distant buildings.
1t has been a marvellous decade
marvellous in political changes and
means Of making war. But the most
striking fact of all. perhaps is the
demonstration of mans inability to
make peace. He has gone forward
UNNECESSARILY in the art Of war: but
in the art Of peace he has made no
progress at all.