The Wanganui Herald. (Published Daily.} FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1919. RECONSTRUCTION PROBLEMS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15754, 28 February 1919, Page 4

The Wanganui Herald. (Published Daily.} FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1919. RECONSTRUCTION PROBLEMS.

liEOAiav the war will end with the proclamation of peace. Ethically the war will not end until Germany’s duty of reparation is done, or at least put well on the way toward being d&ne. Even yet the enormity of Germany's burden of duty to the world before her redemption is complete is hardly comprehended. We staked all that we were or owned for civilisation. Germany did the same for world power or downfall. We should have been Germany's bondsmen if we had lost, and Germany is now Die bondsman of the Allies, bound with all that she has or is to repair the destruction wilfully and unlawfully done. Until that is done, or secured to be done, Germany will not belong to herself, and the Allies, or rather the nonGerman world, should remain bound to each other to see that it is done. Morally this duty belongs peculiarly to neutrals. They, too, have suffered through German misconduct, but they have profited above all other countries, not even excepting the United States, in proportion to the capital of each. They have been so surfeited with war profits and gold that they have put bans upon it, and the world now has a moral claim that that treasure shall not be diverted prematurely to private profit until the world’s duty to relieve unmerited distress shall have been put in the way of performance. This duty of reconstruction and relief is more urgent than anything could be except the checking of Germany in its career of wickedness. Ten millions are expected to die from hunger in Russia this winter. More millions will die from cold unless they are clad and warmed. Billions of money will be needed to rebuild Prance and Belgium. It fet rather the work of a generation than a year or two, and it is all a moral debt of Germany. Most of it is a war debt, and Germany will shirk it so far as possible. So one nation could keep her to her task, and it is the duty of all -to help. Nothing can be suggested in tenderness for Germany, but much may be suggested in tenderness for her victims. It is not in human power that Germany can do forthwith what she should do. But her victims cannot wait their turn. Reconstruction is a mightier task than any single year’s campaign, and will approach the cost in money and work of a year’s campaign. It would not help Germany’s victims if Germany should print and issue to them German paper of any sort, or if the world should do the same. Goods and services are required, just as they were needed for winning the war, and they can be got only in methods resembling war work. That the nations should enter upon a policy of disunity for individual profit with this work undone would be a blunder which should be prevented Everywhere prices are inflated, and it is a troublesome matter to suggest how they shall be either kept up or let down. Reconstruction cannot be halted lor prices to fall, and it would increase the impossibility of Germany’s performance to require it to be done at the highest prices ever known. A willing horse cannot carry an elephant’s load, and it would be folly to put such a load on a balky beast. In tenderness for the wards of the world, Germany’s victims, the work should be done by the world on Germany’s account, so far as the victors shall determine. Every nation should give from its abundance at prices lower than for home consumption by the amount of the profit foregone for that purpose. Work everywhere for this common charity and common good should have lower profits than work for individual benefit. The neutrals’ gold should not be used to buy goods, but should be used as a basis of banking credits to finance the work, and it would return to them with increase after not so many years, with credit added for not altogether abandoning their duty to the world because of the difficulty of their position during the war. Thus on the one hand whatever should be done with this object would help to lessen the etrain of descent to a normal industrial and financial basis, and, on the other’, would increase Germany’s power to bear the utmost that can be put upon her with expectation of performance. But nothing of this proposal, or any other for the same purpose, can be done if the alliance against Germany shall disband before the war is truly done.