Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-01
EVACUATION NORTHUMBERLAND
SEEN FORCE FOR GOOD WILL
Germany Held Entitled TO Relief, i'm View
OF Many Acts to Help Promote
Peace of World.

lied forces, a fine soldier and diplomat,
were strongly impressed with the neces-
Sity OF maintaining the dignity of their
country'S representation in the presence
Oh an adversary that was captious and
critical. Their roles were far more
difficult than those of corresponding
officials of the other holding powers.
They were made more SO by the con-
vlct1on Of the Germans that France
was violating the terms of the treaty
and agreement
1t was of much interest to the Ameri-
can representative, soldier, to see this
civil body declared the supreme agency
on the Rhine, yielding its explicit pow
erS 10 the military authorities, and vet
more interesting to find himself de-
lending the rights of the commission
against the entertainments Of his mill
tary colleagues.
When the Versailles treaty came into
effect the other nations participating
IN the occupation were at peace with
Germany, while the United States con-
t:nued: technically, at war. Those ma
IONS lorthWlth began to apply and be
governed by the treaty and the Rhine
land agreement, While we continued in
occupation under the armistice conven-
tlon. There was no document that de-
llned the powers of these authorities as
between themselves
Inc writer announced that, in so far
as II was practicable, the area under
MN would be governed by the same
Ia"s ana ordinances as the other occu-
Sary larger participation in the de-
I!peratlonS OF the commission than the
resignation OF unofficial representative
suggested. His utterances with respart
W tne american zone were necessarily
Official; The high commission was
pleased with this announcement. and in
turn stated that the views of the Amer
lcan representative would have the
same weight as though he were an off,
claI members of the commission.
Poincare the Big Factor.
The chief factor of all the confer
ences of the Preparations Commission.
IN TACT OF the policy dominating the
greater part of Europe a successor 10
Ciemenceau. was the brilliant RAYMOND
Polncare. It was he who brought about
the military agreement with Belgium,
the defensive alliances with Poland and
CZechoslovakia and who more than any
other kept alert Frances aggressive at
titude toward the recent enemy. France
has held the Craftsmanship of nearly all
the important committees and commits
Sions connected with the settlement of
postwar measures and oftentimes the
deciding vote. Therefore, when NJ
Poincare spoke. his words were impress
sive. His claim that France independ-
entity of her war associates could take
aggressive physical measures against
Germany remains legally questionable,
but his evident intent to keep the his
| torical enemy weak could not be oueS-
toned.
4ts cemetery speeches and notably
! those at Bar sur Aube. Bar lie Due and
Meaux and his subsequent actions con-
firmed his policy of security. There
were three principal methods whereby
this security could be obtained-by
seizure of German territory. by political
disintegration of that country and by
extreme financial demands made on II.
Seizures were made at three different
tlmes-the first was in the Fall of 1920
Of Frankfurt and DarmStadt: the next
was in the Spring of 1921 of the gate
ways of the Ruhr Basin-Dusseldorf
Dinsburg and Ruhrort, and finally the
Ruhr Basin itself just four years and
two months after the signing of the
armistice.
Wanted Germany Dissolved.
The French premier's utterances
never went the length of those of Ger
tain OF his compatriots, such as Senator
Brangier, who favored discussion of the
German debt under one condition
that the Reich be dismembered into the
states composing it and that the Ger
man nation be split into its constitu-
ent states. During the peace confer
ence there were those who claimed that
separate peace treaties should be made
with the principal German states. thus
bringing about political diSintegration
1t Is hardly worth while to mention
mere any OF the numerous acts of the
French authorities that were brought
to the attention of the commission and
that were considered by the English
and American representatives and at
times by the Belgian as infringements
upon the treaty, or the Rhineland
agreement, or even the commissions
ordinances. Perhaps Frances great fear
of Germany'S restoration, her intense
longing for security, her extensive
devastated regions, another enormous
loss in man power would condone acts
that were not approved by those who
were less unfortunately situated In
this connection, however, it is well to
remember that by skillful arrangements
with other continental states France in
large measure has surrounded Ger
many with countries with which she
has defensive understandings and has
become the dominant state on the CONT
nent, If not in Europe.
- Security Frances Chief Interest.
This brief statement may give an
idea of Americas participation in the
Rhineland holding. 1t reveals also in
a way Frances attitude toward that
region and helps explain her reluctance
to its evacuation under the terms of
the treaty or under any other condi-
tons. While the public in general has
considered Frances interest in repara-
tons her paramount Solicitude in con-
nection with postwar problems, it has
been evident to those with a deeper
knowledge that security has taken
precedence over all other matters.
lieved, and still does, that the Rhine
occupation constitutes her greatest
element of safety
Instead of allaying animositieS, her
stay on the Rhine has been most harm
full to good relations. It was not so
difficult for the Germans in holding
part of France in and around Nancy
after the war of 1870-1871 to leave the
country with the good will of its in
nized their own superior strength.
while in the present case the victors
know that their victory was largely
purchased with the blood of their war
partners, and that the rate of growth
in the SineWS of war and man power
OF their traditional enemy far exceeds
their own. When the evacuation was
effected after the Franco-Prussian War
in 1873, President Theirs wrote from
Versailles to Count Saint-Vallier, the
French high commissioner: Beg Gen.
Manteuffel to continue his good Offices
until the end of the occupation and
say to him that I do not despair of
his visit and his presence in my house
as soon as he leaves Nancy. Every one
will be delighted over the evacuation
and there will be found no trace of
bitterness. Informed by me of the
services he has rendered all will give