NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY. Registered for transmission through the post as a newspaper. FRIDAY, MAY 4, 1923. GERMANY'S OFFER.

Northern Advocate, 4 May 1923, Page 4

NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY. Registered for transmission through the post as a newspaper. FRIDAY, MAY 4, 1923. GERMANY'S OFFER.

Less than a fortnight ago the London "Daily Telegraph," whose Berlin correspondent's despatches throughout the-Ruhr occupation have been entirely impartial, indicated that Germany was 1 about to make a definite reparations offer. "Oermany," seid the London journal, "has reached a state of* mind analogous to that in which she addressed to ex-President Wilson (in 1918) her appeal for i-i armistice. She has lost hope of victory." This comment recalled the poin:. (inclined to be forgotten by special pleaders for Germany against France) that Germany's agreement to make reparation for the destruction done in the war was based not on the Treaty of Versailles, but on the conditions which she accepted as \he price of being gramed an armistice and which stayed the Allies' action for carrying the war into Germany. Fulfilment of the promise of reparation is what France and Belgium have justly, but vainly, been demanding. During three and a half years of post-treaty regotiation under tho regime of the Reparations Commission the powers ruling in Germany have deliberately thwarted and defied the efforts of that Commission. The constant argument as to the amount which Germany could [Yiy —conducted oif the German side by artful propaganda designed to .show that Germany could % never pay any sum computed—was seized on by the German industrial magnates as a means*of defeating c"\OTy attempt to satisfy the reparation debt. All along It has been manifest that the Allies Were ready to meet any honest German attempt to pay. The treatment of Austria and Bulgaria is evidence of that spirit. To confuse the plain issue by denunciation of French "militarism" and " vindictivoness" was but to play up to the German game for "winning the peace." The Germans —or, at least, the ruling authorities in Germany —have never exhibited the slightest penitence. Their rbvious intention has been to pay not one penny more than could be forced o-..t of them. They had signed a bond, but they dofled the Allies to make them pay, and their abuse of the disarmament clauses of

the treaty was of a piece with that defiance. The Germans were aware long before last December that the sanction Which would most likely be imposed, as a last resort, was the occupation of the Ruhr. In effect they dared France to take that step. Yet when the French took it the Germans pretended astonishment at an outrage. Now the definite offer has come forth, but France is again disappointed, for Germany insists on the evacuation of the Ruhr as the first step in fixing iew terms. The details of the offer that are made availube to-day show that the amount which Germany proposes as reparations payments is small and th 3 terms are easy; but France and the Allies were prepared for that Germany's financial bluff has been exposed, and she can no longer profess total inability to pay. She goes as near it as she can, but the Allies are willing to be patient and merciful. It is not at all likely, however, that they wil jJso be ready to VKiive the sanctions permitted under the Treaty of Versailles. The French Government's difference with the British Cabinet four months ago, when Franco elected to occupy the Ruhr alone, caused much feeling against France. Anti-French opinion has regarded the French action as lmperill- | ing the world's trade recovery and the resuscitation of German credit. The plain truth is that aay settlement of I the whole world's war debts must ba impossible while the chief debtor, by feigning bankruptcy, was allowed to 1 defraud every creditor. Wo believe that the British Government's action in arranging for the payment of the debt to America did as much as anything to assist the French case. It staunched once and for all any tendency of British hearts to bleed for sympathy with the hypocritical Hun. When the chief Power of the victorious Allies had resolved to pay up and look pleasant the least that the Germans could do was to follow suit. The world, however, must agree with France that i a mere offeT of payment will not sufI fice. Not only must adequate security |be given for payment but Germany I must also show penitence, and while [ she insists on the withdrawal of the l French control she is obviously in the ! wrong frame of mind. The German offer has not solved the problem. The best that can be hoped is that it may provide a btyris for more definite action. - •*