Arkansas State press., 1944-10-20
Clemerceau Sought
To Weaken Germany

There appears, however, to te q
difference In motive between the
Morgenthau Clemenceau projects.
The Morgenthau idea appears to be
motvated chiefly on the idea that
punishment will bring about a re-
form. while Clemenceau frankly, in
the language of Keynes, wanted ito
set back the clock and undo what,
since 1870. the progress of Germany
had accomplished. By loss OF terri
tory and other measures her popu-
lation was to be curtailed, but chief
ly the economic system upon which
she depended for her new strength,
the vast fabric built upon iron, coal
and transport was to be destroyed"
So far Messrs. Clemenceau and Nor
genthau seem to see eye to eye But
the secretary Of the treasury is not
concerned particularly with trans
ferring Germany's economic power
to any other country. He certainly
doesn't want to transfer II to Amer
lea.
But Clemenceau felt according to
Keynes) that 'if France could seize,
even in part, what Germany was
compelled to drop. the inequality Of
strength between the two rivals for
European hegemony might be rem
edied for many generations.
This is the policy" said Keynes.
"of an old man, whose most vivid
impressions and most lively imagi-
nation are Of the past and not the
future. He sees the issue in terms
Of France and Germany. not Of hu.
mainly and Of European civilization
struggling forward towards a new
order"
And so Keynes concluded that the
"Carthaginian peace is not PRAC.
TICALLY right or possible" and his
prediction began to come true al.
most before the ink on the treaty he
was writing about, was dry.
do not know why Secretary Slim.
son and Secretary Hull oppose the
Morgenthau plan. But 1t may be
that they feel criticism Of the peace.
makers of 1919 applies today:
1.-THE clock cannot be set back"
said Keynes. AID. 1920. "You can
not restore Central Europe to 1870
without setting up such strains in the
European structure and letting loose
such human and spiritual forces, as,
pushing beyond frontiers and races,
will overwhelm not only you and
your guarantees but the existing
order Of society"
Wilson knew what Clemenceau
was after but he thought that the
League Of Nations would act to right
the wrongs Of the peace. Clemen-
ceau got all he could, and the lin
stitutions" he left behind when he
died as well as. for a time, the or
der Of society" in France were, as
Keynes predicted, overwhelmed
Perhaps Clemenceau wasn't Car.
thaginian enough, in his peace Those
who agree may well endorse the
Morgenthau plan,
In spite OF reduced employment
and decline in industrial produc.
ton, salaries and wages have con-
tinued TO increase during the past
year Nonagricultural wages and
salaries for July. 1914, amounted to
1888 million dollars. an increase OF
per cent over July. 1913. The
average weekly earnings in manu-.
featuring industries for June, 1914.
Cthe latest date for which figures
are available) we're SAC %. This Is
the highest on record and 7 per cent
above June, l943. Average weekly
earnings In industries manufactur.
ing durable E DDS were $52l6 In
June, 1914, as compared with $37 SO
for nondurable goods industries.
Since It is probable that employ.
ment in industries manufactu
durable goods will decline much
more than II will in nondurable goods
industries, following the cessation OF
hostlities in Europe, the difference
In earnings is unusually significant