The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-12-21
K eparation ms
Bv CARLYE MORGAN

II would be good omen for future peace
# the United States, Britain and Russia could
now issue Joint statement on PREPARATIONS pol
lev to be applied to Germany.
With the West Wall being thanked as well
as penetrated, may be later than even we,
the victorious peoples, think. Are we prepar-
cd for unity at this moment? 1T we are not
then we are unprepared for peace. The key
to control of aggression is Allied unity There
is no substitute for this-not in any blueprint
of the most clever devising And almost any
n,an could be made to work so long the
will to unity among the Allies prevailed.
The Preparations question CLOVIS - or, one
might say, bristles-with opportunities to test
this will to unity. The glow will brighten OF
the bristles sharpen; it depends on whether
reparations policies formulated on sound
economic and moral principles or determined
hv the chance factor of who happens to be
m whose land as the last shot whistles into
silence.
A pre-victory declaration is needed on what
and how Germany shall pay, and the chief
ends to be served by billing her-aS, for ex-
annie reconstruction of devastated countries,
prevention of German military recovery,
lesson to the German people and so forth.
This would help to avoid frictions among the
Allies after the war 1t would provide mea-
sure for Judging conflicting Allied claims
against Germany. 1t should help to prevent
Preparations discussions from degeneraung IN
to race for postwar spoils; the European
markets once served by Germany, for ex-
ample.
There is reason to believe that much prog
ress has been made in Allied councils toward
agreement about reparations References to
this subject were made in Teheran dispatches.
Thev have occurred also in reports from
Washington and London The question OF Ger
man labor PREPARATIONS has been handled care
fully If the Russians want that form of repa-
rations, it seems agreed they should nave It,
The implication would seem to be that the
others will have a right to some other balanc-
ing payment, like wanted German goods, IN
place of labor. There also seems to be a gen.
eral agreement that cash PREPARATIONS are I'M
feasible. 1t seems agreed that stating the size
of total PREPARATIONS in terms OF cash would
be confusing to peoples who have to learn
that such payments can be taken only IN
goods and services.
Already development OF war industries mas
over-equipped several countries in certain
lines and the threat Of unbridled competition
in these suggests the need OF special inter-
national arrangements to prevent postwar
economic frictions + m becoming political
frictions among wartime allies Into this PIC
ture the reparations equation must be lifted
A layman can hardly know the precise state
of Allied parleys on PREPARATIONS. Ihese may
have advanced even more than any OF us
suppose. Even So statement urgently need
ed 1t should constitute a commitment by the
Governments to their collective peoples,
guide for future public opinion as to the faith
fitness of governmental professions. 1t is also
required as an educational force, to accustom
popular thought to economic realities as con-
trasted with the demands that mere emotion
might impose, either on behalf OF haTsher or
softer treatment Of the enemy.
The question of the national and lnterna-
tional good as contrasted with purely sec
tional interests in some countries, must be
explored in full daylight When this is done
the people will be better equipped to consloer
and approve sound policy-making in this field.
One gauge they have available even now'
of course; that is, that PREPARATIONS should be
so designed as to provide no country-and
especially no one Of the Allies upon whom
will fall the responsibility of controlling Ger
man propensties for aggression-Wlth ques-
tionable economic advantage.
statement now, based on principles, would
help to assure that the advantages and DIS
advantages of Allied Preparations policy would
be firmly shared 1t would help to remove one
of the possible causes of frictions which Ger
man leaders hope will develop after this war
to give Germany another chance at dominion
Christian Science Monitor.
-V-