The Dominion. SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1920. AN IMPROVING OUTLOOK.

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 185, 1 May 1920, Page 6

The Dominion. SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1920. AN IMPROVING OUTLOOK.

Ox the whole the international oiitlopk'v has; been distinctly brightened by the outcome' of the Idan llemo Conference. The satisfactory assurances given within the'last few days that .'the Allies are determined ■to-.compel Germany:.to' ..discharge her obligations. the. Treaty of Versailles'point to the'adoption of the only policy that is likely to provide..a .remedy','fop .tho; _ deplorable ■conditions now - existing in Europe.The only important -reservation! in this connection, concerns- an objection by- Italy ■ to military -measures,and' if' the Allies stand firmly to their,decision to Wforcc the Treaty such/measures ougfht not to be -.necessary. This decision, has nothing in common 1 with merciless | severity to 'a . bbaten enemy. On the con; t-rary, it takes an essentiill. place-in' an orderly policy- of international, co-operation' in the interests, of peaceful 'reconstruction, -throughout Europe. ' The i.only alternative be-, fore tho Allies was to go on drifting as in recent months, allowingthe international organisation born of the war to fall to pieces, and at the same time >, allowing ■ Gcrihan trickery and.evasion to develop imcheeked. The Allies in fact have pulled up short in 'a course which threatened to make conditions- of instability • and ; disorganisation chronic and. irreparable, .over-a great part ;pf Europe. If Geriiiany 'had honestly, endeavoured to ,do what is required of' her under • the Treaty and had failed only in meeting economic obligations the case would 'be'different, and good reason might appear for showing her. a measure of consideration. Actually, , however, as,the Allies have pointed out in a. strongly worded declaration, shehas failed ;in her most important obligations under the Treaty, ••and most notably in those it was easily open to her to [discharge. She is "not "living up tii her engagements, cither a,s to the destruction war material, the reduction of' her [military] effeqtives, the sion of coal, or in regard to reparations or the cost of the Army;of : Occupation. . . . She has'taken'no steps towards- ascertaining, her 'liabilities for reparation, urgent ; as a, 'settlement is in the-interests of allwiricerned... She does not appear .even to be. considering how to iiieet 'her obligations ,au, unci'. >vlieti .they' mature." This is-not the-record of ( a country honestly in difficulties. It 'is the record, of a country which has gone deliberately, to .all pos-sible-lengths in-evading the obliga-v tions of, a binding treaty, and thereby is- not only hampering the progress "of reconstruction.' in Europe, but; is perpetuating; conditions which contain, the germ of possible, war.. In. face of such tactics ..on .the part of the men who the affairs of the- German /EcpubHe, "tlie- Allies would stultify themselves,, if... they hesitated any ■longer-to adopt a policy of coercion. A, stage may be reached at which it,will bo.advisablc for.the., Allies to extend some latitude to Germany, but full approval must be given to the. view-stated by M. Miu,erand that it will be time enough .when she. •is 'able to proye'her' good faith in carrying 'out ;the. Treaty .'to talk about economic co-operation. ' tJjitil the position in regard to reparation-payments has'been cleai:-. ly. dpfined,' any-suggestion of economic concessions. to Germany wouldmanifestly, be out. of place'. The '.most urgent question of all,' however,..is that.of enforcing,the.Treaty provisions relating to disarmament.. Ample ' evidence'is' available thai large, quantities of military materia/ 1 , which • Germany . is pledged to '-de-stroy.-am being systematically, 'con-, coaled. It was reported only yesterday that an:■ Entente commission had discovered and seized at Stettin giins—almost the total number that Germany is permitted utfder the Ti'paty to retain—and sixteen barges laden with ammunition., It must be assumed at least that' some factions in Germany still • hope to profit by. an appeal to .arms, that in enforcing disarmament t'hf Allies will not only'" safeguard European peace, but extend valuable arid perhaps j much-needed assistance ; to those parties in the Republic which aim at peaceful reconstruction and development. . The; political outlook in Germany is extremely iincbrtain, and the. suppression of tho Kappist outbreak has done, little to clear'the : air. Parties otherwise ■ opposed seem in be agreed that the present National Assembly has exhausted its mandate, but this only deepens the prevailing.Vcoiifusion. 1 A 11'cw' election was to 'have been ■ held last month, but presumably it has .been delayed by the abortive counter'-ro-volution and the present controversy with the ■ Entente.. On the upper surface of German politics, the chief groups to-, be considered arc -t;he Centre Party,--the Majority and Independent Socialists, arid the somo;.. what obscurely defined but powerful party .which stands for militarism and for monarchical restoration. It j has been said that in its finality the. political. struggle in Germany is one "between, feudal-.reaction and, 1 a loud {Socialism of many, voices| These conditions at best are som«-1 what unpromising, hut it'is clear that in carrying disarmament to its apno'intc'd limits the ; Allies will: smooth the path of whatever forces ' of liberal progress are astir in Gar- I many, and take the course best ca!- ' 'ciilatud- to jinpel her to an honest discharge of her Treaty obligations.!