Patea & Waverley Press. WED. MARCH 19, 1919. GERMANY’S BALANCESHEET.

Patea Mail, Volume XLIII, 19 March 1919, Page 2

Patea & Waverley Press. WED. MARCH 19, 1919. GERMANY’S BALANCESHEET.

SOME time ago when Germany appeared to be at the zenith of her power on land we drew attention to the fact that if a profit and loss a count were to bo drawn up with regard to Germany’s gains and losses during the war the; balance would even then be heavily on the debit side. If this was the case two years ago what must be the balance to-day when Germany is beaten to her knees ? The German people have a legitimate grievance against the Potsdam gang who forced the war upon the world. In August, 1914, Germany was as prosperous as any country in the world. Pier trade was increasing by leaps and bounds, thanks to the policy of “ peaceful penetration ” that had been pursued. She had colonies in Africa and the South Pacific, beside landed interests in other parts of the world. As a commercial concern Germany, with the wonderful balance-sheet she could show was something the people ol the Fatherland could be proud of. There is not the slightest doubt, too, that had things been allowed to progress with Germany at the rate they had been progressing during the past 10 years the whole world would shortly have been at her feet, ouch an unhappy state of affairs for the world at large was, however, not to be. The German people like the dog in the table lost their hold of the substance in grasping at the shadow. As a consequence the balance-sheet ot Germany to-day is a sad and sony document for the German people to read. lier valuable asset in the shape of Alsace-Lor-raine has passed to the French and will, it is hoped, never again bo under German rule. German Last and West Africa have gone too, and it is not to be expected for a moment that the Allies will hand over millions of helpless subjects in those countries to the tender mercies of the Hun. Germany’s possessions in the South Pacific have also disappeared from the credit side of her ledger and are not likely to bo replaced. In addition to the territory lost Germany will find that the world wide trade which she had built up during the past half century has been completely disorganised if not destroyed altogether. Though there may bo a few pacifist cranks in the Allied countries who may be willing to grip the bloodstained hand of the Hun when it is outstretched in the future there are hundreds of thousands who are mourning the loss of loved ones and who cannot forget the diabolical means adopted by Germany to gain her ends in the great war. Germany therefore will find that the goodwill of her vast overseas trade which was worth so much

will by now have practically disappeared. In addition she has to face the liabilities in connection with the war that have yet to be imposed. As she forced the war on the Allies in the hope of grinding them into powder and crippling them for all time she cannot blame them if they in their turn make her pay at any rate for the wanton destruction wrought in Belgium, France and Servia. Other indemnities may also be asked for, if so the position of the German profit and loss account in connection with the war will be far worse. With her colonies taken away and the fertile provinces of Alsace-Lorraine gone for over, with her mercantile marine and the greater portion of her railway rolling stock confiscated and her trade with the Lilies a thing of the past Germany may ever view the war with dismay and sigh for a return of the peaceful and prosperous days prior to the war. However harsh the final peace terms may be one must admit that Germany is only reaping what she thoroughly deserved. In fact the harder the terms are the greater will be the warning to other nations not to follow in her footsteps.