Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-01
RHINE EVACUATION
DECR|ED IN FRANCE
"If We Were in Mayence''
Becomes CatchWord of
Right and Center:Parties.

BY Radio to The Star. -
PARIS, July 1.-THE phrase IF we
we're in Mayence" is becoming almost
proverbial here, especially among the
representatives of the Right and Center
parties in the Chamber, who see in the
French evacuation of the Rhineland
last June the origin Of all. their woes.
If we were in Mayence," they say.
Germany would never have held the
Stahlhelm demonstrations in Coblentz
last year, never would have preached a
customs union with Austria, never dared
to get the Young plans thrown over
board after 1t was in operation little
over a year."
For in the eyes Of these individuals
unfortunately becoming more and more
representative of French opinion-the
Stahlhelm demonstrations were direct
affront or yelled threat to France: the
Austria German proposed accord Is
fatty against the Versailles treaty,
while the Hoover proposals are held VIZ
tually to be a knockout blow to the
Young plan, which, according to Bri-
and's words in the Chamber at the time
the plan was negotiated, was settle
ment at once complete and definite that
assured to France the possibility OF mo-
bilizing the reparations."
Like Bad Nerves.
What is left Of all this now. since I'VE
left Mayence," only remains to complete
the sad story-and the French are fond
of giving themselves bad cases OF nerves
by telling themselves the worst-for
Germany will use the funds which
Americas respite is planned to give her
to put in practice her right to rearm. ,
This brings us logically to tie point
where the Echo de Paris can propose.
following the unimpeachable trend OF
logic, that as France no longer Is aole
to control Germany's actions by the
presence of armies at Mayence, 1t Is
for America to see that the money
available through Americas action Is
not misspent.
Echo's suggestion is worth setting out
in full. President Hoover. as much put
not more than us wishes peace to reign
in the world; in the text of his propo-
sition he expresses the finn hope the
proof he gave in coming to the aid OF
Germany would incite the powers to
disarm. Then may one not indicate
that American control OF the use mace
by the Reich of sums left at It's dlSpo-
sition for its economic REHABILITATION
would be in every way opportune. ana
of nature to calm just apprenenslons.
Press Shows Unanhnity.
Behind the remark is the suggestion
that If America Is unwilling to under
take such a job. the French-at least
as represented by the readers OF the
Echo-would be only too glad Of the
opportunity to do it themselves. Echo Is
an extreme case of the lengths to
which logic may be pushed. But ever
since Hoovers plan burst into the
French ken there Is a, remarkable
unanimity in the French press about
the needs Of clinging to eeen techni-
cal relic of the Young plan such as Is
represented by the proposal that Ger
many pay the unconditional part Of the
Young plan to French account at Basel.
which would then be reloaned to them
by France. i,
The French fear that once relieved
of the Young plan for year Germany
will never resume the burden and
France will be left with nothing what
ever to show for her victory except the
burden Of debt. appreciated coinage, a
million and three-quarters OF dead,
which are only partly balanced by
Alsace, Lorraine and few colonies.
The moral that victory must be Its own
reward has not yet been accepted here,
and probably never will.