Evening star., 1924-02-18
ARMED EUROPE DRIFTS TO VAR,
SURVEY OF NATIONS INDICATES
France and Satellites, Germany, Russia, Nursing
Hate, Although People Themselves
Long for Peace.

Britain and the United States. That
happened in 1914, when Germany was
4 serious menace to British trade. The
situation is changed today. 1t Is no
Onger Germany, but France, that the
British fear a competitor, and should
Germany in ten years or less again
attack France there would be- no hope
I of Brtain's assistance. What can France
do then? Wait until Germany gets
strong enough to start a new war:
Hardly"
Stirring Up People.
One finds that the French tell their
GLOWING people: It's all very
well to talk peace and go on with
your business. But don't forget that
across the Rhine there is an enemy
watching you, and unless you have
pulled it's last teeth your work now
is useless. In the same way he de-
stroyed your property in 1914 he will
do 1t again as soon as he has a
chance"
The great trouble. it is added, is
that the German people have never
realized their defeat, and the only
/ Nay to prove il 20 them is to carry
the French flag into the most impor-
tart German cities and control tneir
factories TO prevent them from max
ing arms and ammunition.
y clear-thinking French officer. who
holds a responsible position, told me
that war Wit Germany seemed to
him inevitable.
when it will take place we don't
know" he said, land l am afraid not
very soon. But it stands to reason
that nation with such a developed
sense of national pride must think
continually of the revenge. We did
after 1870. We tried to inoculate in
the spirit of the younger generation
how we We're robbed by our German
neiGhbors. and we succeeded. We did
not want war. but our young men
| have always cherished one hope
that of getting even with the enemy
The same spirit prevails in Ger
many soHlay, accentuated by the Ger
man mentality and by the hardships
and privations of the majority of
the population.
THE Germans are down now. but
! they can recuperate rapidly. Remem-
ber how quickly Germany recovered
after the thirty-year war?"
Attitude of Germany.
Across the Rhine. in Germany, these
arguments are well known. Socialists,
monarchists and communists will all
tell you:
THE French have created through
the occupation of the ,Ruhr new AL
Sace-Lorraine. They want to destroy
Germany forever and we will not stand
for it. They want to deprive US Of the
Ruhr's raw material, kill our industry
and create an impossible situation for
| the German workman. The treaty of
Versailles exists only In theory. The
| French have made it a scrap of paper
We have a right to live, but If the
| French want to drive us to desperation
| let them do it. 1t will be their ruin as
we'll as ours. If they want to come
| into Germany low, they will find us
ready to receive them. If they remain
in the Rhur and continue their provok-
ing attitude we shall chase them out
as soon as We are able"
| German militariStS talk boisterously
| of revenge: the socialists and cominun- :
! lists talk about preparing the ground
for the union of all European nations
! into one big European confederation and
the great victory of the proletariat as
! soon imperialistic and militaristic
! France is defeated.
With this spirit, military prepara
! tions. open in the case of France and
her allies, concealed in the case Of Ger.
many, are going on at full speed.
! (The next article in this series will
| be published tOmOrrOw.I