Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-03-19

German m n
tally. 1t ought Frank r. Kent.
to make the recent Hitler talk of
"our ultimate triumph" seem foolish
to the most obtuse of his following
1t ought to convince them-if the
fact is permitted to get through
that there is no hope left. In the
language of the old circus man, "the
monkeys dead and the shows over"
Nevertheless, creation of repara-
tons commission and plans for its
early meeting raise a number Of
interesting questions to which no
one appears to have the answers.
For example, it is natural to ask
how such commission can do
even exploratory and advisory
work without far more definite
knowledge than is now available.
First, it would seem that before
reparations can be considered either
as to extent or Character" we
must make up our minds exactly
what we are going to do with Ger
many once We have conquered her.
Until we know what kind of Ger
many there will be when the fight
ing is over, even the beginnings of
the PREPARATIONS problems cannot be
intelligently dealt with.
How and With What?
Nobody knows anything about
this Germany. Nobody knows what
we will find when We get in. 1t is
impossible to tell now whether the
whole German economic structure
will be wrecked, or, if not wrecked,
whether we intend to permit its
quick rebuilding.
And if We are going to permit
industrial Germany to get on her
feet, the question is-how and with
what? Also, it is urged, there is
some difficulty in harmonizing
policy of complete standardization
of Germany with it's rebuilding.
And there are other points equally
battling. About all of them there is
confusion.
The only sure thing about repara-
tions is that they are to be 'in
kind"-that is, raw and manufac-
tured materials and not in money.
The futility of demanding money
reparations was proven last time.
AS to PREPARATIONS sin kind" OBJ
viously these can only be paid by
an industrialy productive Germany
We do not know how much we
want that kind of Germany,
whether, even if we want it, that
kind of Germany will be possible
for long time, or whether it ever
will be possible unless we help make
it so.
None of these things will be de-
termined until the war is over.
Until then, it seems absurd to con-
slider the extent and character"
of reparations. Until we know the
capacity of Germany to produce,
nothing can be done. .-..
That the commission is to meet
in Moscow is construed generally as
meaning that Russia proposes, be-
cause of the damage inflicted upon
her by the Germans, to claim the
larger share of reparations. But
Russia will not be the only one
with large bill. The British have
suffered very heavily and have JUS
LITIGATION for big claim.
So have all the liberated nations:
France, Holland, Denmark, Bel
GUM, Poland and Norway.
II there are reparations, all Of
these have got to be recognized and
paid. The question arises as to how
even rebuilt industrial Germany
is going to meet the demands.
"Slave Labor" Device.
Also, how industrial production
will be affected by the proposal
spoken favorably of by Mr.. Roose-
velt), of taking to Russia a million
Germans to rebuild the Soviet's
devastated cities. Also, if Russia
is permitted to profit through the
slave labor" device, would not the
other damaged nations be proper
tionately entitled to similar repara-
lions in conscripted manpower?
Perhaps Mr.. B. M. Baruch, who
is going to England for the Presi-
dent on an economic mission" may
shed some light on these things
However, the problems that loom
ahead in this reparations business
seem very grave, indeed. Certainly,
not even beginning can be made
until, first, the facts about the post
war German economic machine are
known; second, until our own minds
have been made up as to postwar
policy toward a PROSTATE Germany
Considering these things, Secre-
tary of State Stettinius seems a
trifle overoptimistic when he de-
clares his confidence that the repa-
rations commission, on which we
are represented by DR.. Isador Lu-
bin, will shortly develop q sound
program Of reparations. If it can
do that before the facts above
referred to are available (and they
will not be available for some
months to Gomez it will have per-
formed miracle.
Incidentally, though DR.. Lubin's