SECOND EDITION. THE FRENCH VIEW

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 96, 28 August 1923, Page 6

SECOND EDITION. THE FRENCH VIEW

POINCARE AND THE RUHR.

WHAT GERMANY MIGHT HAVE BEEN.

PrM9 AMbf.'iitioti— Oopyright. Austrian and N,Z.’ Cable Association. Paris, August 26. Speaking at Chassey, where he unveiled a war memorial, and at Gondrecourt, where he unveiled a tablets cdinhieinorating' the arrival of the 4nfisricaihdV Mv Poincare said that 1 if Germany htd 'wott the war hkvd' been able to dictate her will and ( throw 1 the’whole world into chaos. France' ’Would have been the worst treated. Germany, daring the war, 1 made- no mystery - of her intentions. She always intended to crush France. Germany would not have treated'the Allies much more generously. The Kaiser was violently hostile to Britain, and 1 probably Britain's Navy s and mercantile fleet would both have/ been destroyed. The whole of jjjmope would 1 have been subjected to Germany. These'were not idle and improbable dreamsi • Several times the world had'-beem at the point of their rea-libation;-»nd; without the Allies’ union and the valor of their soldiers all these monstrosities would have been accomplished. Germany, had not been asked to bear the Allies’ .... war costs ; sh© ha 4 only, been charged 1 i -witih reparation for the material* damaKe whick'she caused. Wa4 that > ; oyerheayy ? If Germany did not , '.make y an effort, to,do what Franc© , did-an 1872" France would b© forced : to the threat * Germany; mad© then, ‘"Pay us or we remain ’ where w© are.” France'woilld never agree* to the appointment of ah 1 internatienal Cft>nlUusitiOn f of ekperfe to estimate GeririaAy’s capacity to pay reparations- The commission had coriscientiouslyi estimated Germany’s actual payments. ■. It was idle to pretend that Germany had already paid 32 . milliards of gold‘marks, or even 25 ofmarks, Tfe's Washingstaled'. Su’dh estimates i indicated what' curious results Would ~ readied if an international body of‘experts were entrusted with estimating Germany’s capacity to pay. By v hUrd ; work, faith and the will to p*#4 France, in 1872; • paid- her debts and > put her finances in order. Her prosperity, waa noi duo to a miracle. What Fjrano© did then Germany could; iat 'least- make an effort to do to-day. she- did - not- decide to that effort, France would ex* ecute tha threats that Germany had , * formerly addressed to France. M. Poincare regretted that the union between the Allies and Ameriosw that-had been, so close , during the war., had not been retained in peace with the character and forqg °f 1111 alliance. The preparations for signing .the treaty led Franc© to take for granted the action which have ■ guaranteed both reparations and security; but the American Senate had not ratified the action of •i Wilson. ' ’,l The United States thought the ; ||timo hiad come to dissociate themael‘f: ves from European affairs. Whilst ' regretting America’s decision, France understood it- wag* not directed against her, and she felt certain that. V the great majority of the people of America considered that Franc© was | v perfectly justified m taking pledges when Germany defaulted, and-* refusing to : give them up for vain premises. America would regard a nation 1 which wasted time in consultations. hestitation and complaints as. a' nation afflicted with incapacity and pOWerlessness. Besides, “Heaven helps those who help themselves.’’ It was with that conviction that France entered th© Ruhr! \