Evening star., 1924-12-31

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the greatest sin
gle factor in this WILLIAM RrRn
progress
A comic paper pictures a history
teacher Of the next generation ask
ing, Johnny, what was the Dawes
pIanf and cynical Johnny replying,
To elect Coolidge"
Effects of Dawes Plan.
But the Dawes plan has had two far
greater effects. First and foremost il
mas brought America definitely back
INTO world peace councils, for although
the American Government technically
Kept its hands off, II will be difficult TO
persuade future historians that:
l. The American Governments in
formal approval of the selection Of
Dawes and Young;
2. The trip OF Secretary Hughes 10
Europe during the Dawes plan debates
ana mis- interviews about the matter
with all the political chiefs Of Western
Europe. and
3. The subsequent nomination Of
Dawes to the vice presidency. followed
by his election, do not mean comnIAte
comnittal Of the American nation TO the
SUCCESS OF tne plan.
Reparations Problems MT Rest.
The second great effect of the pla,,s
aoopuon is that It has laid the thorny
reparstions problem temporarily, and
propaoiF permanently, 10 rest. The
treaty OF Versailles was signed in 1919
the Dawes plan was adopted five vears
later. Between those two dates II had
been demonstrated that the collection of
reparattons from Germany by means of
the machinery provided in the treaty
was impossible, either because the
machinery was defective, as some think.
or because Gas the majority of
Europeans hold) too much depended on
constant agreement between Great
Britain and France, and such agreement
was impossible TO obtain.
In either case, the result was the
same: France was embittered and
Isolated, was compelled to maintain
large army and to threaten and
even TO execute measures of violence
against Germany Unbacked by
Great Britain-indeed, hampered nv
her-it was becoming apparent that
France was not only losing all
chance of being repaid for her war
damages, but was running a grave
risk OF German vengeance as soon as
Germany could regain her strength
sufficiently to undertake a war of re-
venge. Thus France was being
cheated of both her principal fruits
of victory-reparatio and security.
What Was Needed.
What was needed was to put the
reparations question on a new foot
Ing, to take it out of the hands of
politicians, who could only use it to
stir up nationalistic sentiment. with
serious risks TO world peace. and
place II on purely business basis
This is what the Dawes plan
achieved. 1t did away with the repa-
rations commission, which had be-
come merely an instrument Of the
various allied governments, who
themselves could never agree. II es-
tablished instead definite program
of reparations collections, giving full
recognition not only to the difficulty
of collecting reparations, but OF
transferring them across interna-
tional frontiers without upsetting
exchange.
Physically, the immediate effect OF
the Dawes plan was TO effect the
withdrawal OF the French and Bel
gian troops from the Ruin after
more than year of occupation.
This move not only quieted the po-
litical atmosphere, but permitted a
gradual resumption of Industrial ac-
tivtty in the region affected.
The Dawes plan may never pro
duce a penny in actual cash repara-
tion payments Nobody can tell. But
Europeans generally feel that il has
accomplished the maximum that is
possible of accomplishment. If no
payments come out of it most peo-
pie will probably say, TOO bad, but
IL the Dawes plan can't make Ger
many pay, then nothing can" and let
it go at that.
Further American Cooperation.
This very considerable accomplish
rnent is due to American intervention
without the backing of America II
would have been impossible. But
Americas participation in the con-
solidation OF world peace is not eX-
pected to end there.
"You have settled the reparations
problem, although you insist il is
a purely European question" Euro
peans say now. Surely you will not
decline to offer a solution of another
great financial puzzle-the interallied
debtsT'
It is confidently expected among
bankers here, and even by the pub
lie, that 1925 will see very great
progress toward a settlement of this
matter along similar lines.
"The Dawes reparation plan makes
Germany pay what she can. but does
not compel her to do the impossible
VIII not America take the same at
titude toward the war debts?"
Political Relations Improve.
The first political effect of the
Dawes plan was an immediate inn
provement in Franco-German rela-
tions, and the old Caillaux policy OF
Franco German economic and politi-
cal solidarity began Immediately to
be talked of seriously in both coun-
tries.
One has only to think back a few
years to realize what this means as
a step toward peace. AS lately as
two years ago II was scarcely posi-
BILE to mention the subject in France
Almost anybody would instantly tell
you that Germany and France were
and always had been and always
would be enemies and that any loyal
Frenchman would sooner cut off his
arm than shake hands with a Ger
man.
History, however. should have made
US all remember that France has
fought many more wars with the
English than with the Germans, and
that II France has any TRADITIONAL
enemies" they are the inhabitants OF
the tight little island" across the
channel.