THE ALLIES AND GERMANY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17913, 19 April 1920, Page 4

THE ALLIES AND GERMANY.

The patience of the Allies is being subjected to a severe test by Germany in the matter of the fulfilment of her obligations under the Peace Treaty. It is, to be gathered that the British Government, partly, perhaps, as the outcome of its recent observance of the military activities of Germany in the Ruhr district, is becoming increasingly impressed with the need of bringing pressure to bear upon Germany and put an end to the evasions of her duties. It has secured what seems to be unimpeachable evidence that the German forces in the Ruhr Valley are considerably in excess of the number admitted in Berlin, as well as of the number sanctioned under the Peace Treaty. The Foreign Secretary is, in these circumstances, said to have informed Dr Sthamer, the German Charge d'Affaires in London", that Germany must immediately give evidence of an honourable intention to withdraw portion of her troops from this district. Clearly, the Allied Conference which is to bo" opened' to-day at San Remo is fraught with unusual import. It may be surmised that its effect will be a stiffening up of the Allies in relation to features of the Peace Treaty which have been more or less disregarded in Germany. Among other matters, there is that of the disarmament clauses of the treaty, with regard to the fulfilment of which the Allies have been treating Germany with a good deal of indulgence. The Government in Berlin is either impotent or insincere. Hie fertility of its evasions and excuses suggests insincerity. The Chancellor, Dr Muller, has been loudly expressing 'the Government's undying hostility towards all forms of militarism. Yet the German Government is very prompt to find reasons for keeping at its disposal as large a military force as possible. It pleads that it cannot carry out disarmament rapidly lest it should be unable to combat Bolshevism and other forces contributing to internal disorder. It seems a little significant that at the very moment when the

Allies are exhibiting marked impatience at the tardiness of Germany's compliance with the terms of the treaty the air should become filled with reports of' another impending effort on tho part of the monarchists to achieve & coup d'etat by force of arms. The information concerning tho existenco of this plot may be correct enough, and weight seems to be attached to it by the French and British Governments. Why, however, ouch intinw'> knowledge concerning the impending usurreotioit should bo imparted by the German, press ■while the authorities in Berlin take no steps to nip the movomont in the bud is not made at all clear. Doubtless tho German Government will make its apprehension over this monarchist activity an excuse for further shuffling with regard to the Allies' requirements. As long as it can play upon the feelings of the Allied Governments by raising the spectre of a dangerous revolution it may be expected to do so. One German paper goes so far as wildly to fort? shadow monarchist insurrectionists joining with the German communists, overthrowing the Government, and marching with Soviet Russia against France. If tho Allies have become convinced of the necessity of putting an end to this see-saw situation in Germany, which always keeps German militarism to the fore, it is not before it was time.