Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-01
BY MAI. GEN. HENRY T. ALLEN,
Il g A. Retired


Oh long peace the wisdom of the vic
tor should give proof of justice rather
than yindictiveness. Many times have
l heard our war partners defend fla
grant attitude by proclaiming what Ger
many would have done or would do
in such case had it been victorious,
forgetful of the fact that more than
100000 of the recent enemy remain
to avenge injustice and excessive impo-
sitionS.
After the complete and speedy de-
feat of the French in 1871 it hardly
seemed possible that such international
combinations could be brought about
as would give victory to the vanquished
within lesser period than SO years.
That fact is well worthy of greater
consideration.
Spirit Cannot Be Crushed.
Had the French delegation at the
Paris conference headed by Georges
Clemenceau been able to withstand the
opposition of Woodrow Wilson and
Lloyd George such a peace would have
been imposed upon Germany that ever
lasting hatred and undying clamor for
revenge would have ensued. Stripping
a great state-composed of aggressive
industrious and frugal inhabitants-of
its colonies, cutting off parts of its most
productive areas, reducing its military
|
forces and eXacting excessive financial
payments do not destroy its spirit and
its hopes. This is doubly true when
that state has remarkable aptitude for
adapting scientific developments to
commercial ends.
Perhaps the terms of the Versailles
treaty were the limits that could be
imposed with a reasonable degree Of
wisdom based on the teaching of his
tory. Had more been demanded it is
indeed doubtful whether the peace of
Europe and its physical restoration
would have reached the present stage,
however much remains to be desired in
those respects. Few people realize how
nearly bolshevism came to dominating
that Teutonic state
The Rhine question is many centuries
Old nor is 1t solely a matter between
France and Germany Its adjustment
is of decided Importance to all Europe
and, in consequence, to the world. His
torlcally speaking. the hostile crossings
OF the Rhine from the east and from
the west have been about equal, though
since the middle of the sixteenth CEN
fury the crossings from the west have
been more frequent. At the end of
that century the cities of Lyon and
Marseille were under German SOW
ereign.y. The claims of France for an
autonomous state on the Rhine. or
| N'SAA OH SSlSICAII DtlAIIGdly Oll llidt
river. were. reluctantly given up only
when the United States and Great
Britain covenanted with France to go
to her rescue in case of an unpro-
vokea aggression on the part of Ger
many. When this tripartite agreement
failed France assumed that her for
mer claims. which she considered war
equities, should be valid.
From her earliest days on the Rhine
she gave strong evidence of conSolidat-
ing her position there, regardless of the
terms of the Versailles treaty, which
expressed American and British diSap-
proval of another Alsace-Lorraine."
1t was at an early period of the ne
gotiations that the Tigers countrymen
were urging him to greater compensa-
tons and better terms for France that
he replied:
what can be expected of one who
sits day after day between two indi-
viduals. one of whom thinks he is the
Messiah, the other believes he is a
Napoleon? One has intelligence with
out understanding. the other under
standing without intelligence"
Occupied to Assure Debt Payment.
The occupation of the Rhineland
bridgeheads - Cologne, Coblenz and
Mayence-for periods of 5, 10 and Is
years, respectively, was decided upon 10
assure by Germany the execution of
the treaty and payments that were not
fixed as to the total amount, nor limit
ed as to time. In the language OF
President Wilson, "a debtor whose debt
was not specified and who was not
even allowed to know for how long he
had to go on paying, was no longer a
debtor, but defenseleSS victim OF
spoliation."
The commander-in-chief of the inter-
allied armies on the Rhine, Gen. Man
gin, in early 1919 went so far as to
request assistance of the American
commanding general in the establish
ment of Rhenish republic that would
be proclaimed shortly at Wiesbaden.
The German President there was called
to French headquarters and informed
that he should submit to the orders OF
the new provisional government. Such
crude separatiSt measures could not
endure. and when this one was brought
to the attention of Clemenceau he
simply shrugged his shoulders and said,
Pooh, that's only those generals"
In spite of this rejoinder and the
fact that Gen. Mangin was relieved. the
movement for an autonomous state
backed by France continued, but in far
subtler ways. The efforts to seize the
railways, to declare martial law
: throughout. the unnecessary delay in
removing the economic sanctions. es-
GaDllS0menU Oh rIGIlCIl LII CSi Vail
schools, protection given the German
Smuts-all clearly showed Frances
deep interest in the principle OF separa-
ton.
High Commission Formed.
Due to American initiative and sup
port at the peace conference. the
Rhineland agreement was drawn up
and signed by the United States, Eng
land, France, Belgium and Germany.
Under it's provisions new organ in
connection with armies of occupation
was created. This was the 1nterallled
Rhineland High Commission, civil
body which was declared the supreme
representative of the allied and asso-
ciated powers in the occupied territory.
It was vested with power to issue ordl-
nances necessary for securing the
maintenance, safety and requirements
(Sic) of the holding forces"
The primary object of the commission
was to limit the powers of the military
commanders in the hope that Speedier
and more wholesome peace results
would follow. 1t was not to interfere
with the German civil administration
except to adapt it to the needs of the
military occupation.
AS the unofficial representative of the
State Department on this commission
for period of three years the writer
witnessed continued evidence of Frances
desire and intention to retain her hold
on the rich Rhineland vicariously seized
and held by herself and Germany. That
policy necessarily infringed on the terms
of the agreement. It could not be said
that the creation of this commission
was popular with the French civil
authorities, which on various occasions
over-rode 1t, and far less could be said
of its approval by military officials.
It's president, Paul Tirard, Is man