The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1947-11-28

heart, the Ruhr. Immediate
grants to France and Italy are
for food, fertilizers, consumers
goods, etc. Only in Germany
is the first emphasis on coal
and steel.
Republican senate leader Robert A.
Taft thinks the whole Marshall pro-
gram is too big. But on Germany, he
is fully agreed. On November IL he
said that "the German policy of the
government is even more important
than the Marshall plan" Oppos-
ing the dismantling even of military
factories Taft declared that ''any plant
built for war purposes can certainly
be converted to peace" What Taft
left unsaid was that it can just as
certainly be turned back again to ag-
gression.
American soldiers, along with those
of Britain, Russia and other countries,
have had to face German arms twice.
France has had to do it three times.
We wonder how many people stop to
think that this ancient, proved enemy
is being groomed again amid talk of
suuashing, or containing" a former |
ally, Russia We are told that the
USSR is the enemy of the future, but
that isn't new either. There was a lot
of discussion of the Russian Bear
before World War I and of the "Bol-
shevik menace" between World War I
n
Russia had to fight both the Kaiser
and Hitler together.
President Roosevelt never forgot
this. His policy was to make sure
that Germany would never again be
the main industrial force land there
fore the main fighting force) in Eur
ope. First, he wanted to purge the
German militarists and industrialists
who always built for war Second,
he was determined to dismantle the
most dangerous German plants. There
could be no security until the COM
bined industries of countries bordering
on Germany, east as well as west,
grew to match the exceed those of
Germany nerSeI.
Roosevelt's purpose was not to take
revenge on the German people by
starving them or to punish them eco
beyond the just need of re-
placing what they had smashed
abroad. The late President thought,
that while postwar suffering in Eu
rope lasted, it was only fair that the
Germans should bear the brunt. But
his plan would make all
Europe more prosperous than be-
fore That would include a Germany
with no way forward except peaceful
work, and no burden of ornaments
and war stockpiles, with pulled teeth
but full stomach.
Such a program, Roosevelt knew,
was only possible through unity of
the wartime allies, as sketched in
the Teheran, Potsdam and Yalta
agreements. He remembered, as
too few do now, that Germany built
herself up after World War | defeat
by trading on inter-aIlied differ
ences. Then Britain wanted German
revival to offset France. Americas
Wall Street bought heavily into Ger
man industries and retooIed them to
keep down British competition.
America, Britain and France all
thought it was all right for Germany
to re-arm if it was against Russia.
Germany's Rulers, who are smart
people, used all these circumstances.
They offered the west help against
communism" in the intervention
gainst Russia's revolution in 1892,
he Locarno Treaty of 1925 and the
1unich Pact of 1888. At the same
ime they peddled non-aggression
uarantees to Russia, at a price, in
he Rapallo Treaty of 1922 and the
erman-Soviet Pact of 1899. At home
ley smashed the labor movement and
Il peace-loving elements And all the
lille they built their own fascist ALI
yIyifh To- |