FRANCE’S DISTRUST OF GERMANY.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 13, 10 January 1924, Page 3

FRANCE’S DISTRUST OF GERMANY.

POPULATION PROBLEM. (By J. El us Barker). (’he world has boon hypnotised 1: the reparation problem and by tl complications to which it has give rise. Politicians and publicists in a five continents are discussing Ge many’s capacity to pay and France policy in the Ruhr. The infinite! * more important subject of Germany future and policy has been lost .sigl of. Will Germany keep the peace, c is she planning a war of revenge Has the war of 19M-3 8 created permanent settlement ? The experience of the past is a excellent guide enabling ns to fore see the future. France and German j in truth, have been hereditary one mies. Great controversies betwee neighbouring* nations are apt to com to an end only when one of ther has been weakened so much that i recognises the futility of renew in; the struggle, abandons all hope o revenge, and is satisfied with a re latively humble position. It. is difficult to realise nowaday, that, only two centuries ago. Sweden and Holland wee militarily Grea Powers. Prusso-Germany has grown gloat by the sword. Its history read; like a fairy tale. In 1650 Berlin was a village o 8000 inhabitants, and Prussia was out of the weakest and poorest statelet; in Europe. By war and conquest under the rule of the Hohenzollerns that poor and backward nation ha: become rich and powerful. The rise of Prusso-Germany is as miraculous as that of the Roman Empire. Germany has been defeated in war but the spirif? of the people has nol been vanquished. Every patriotic German believes that the eclipse oi his country is only temporary, anc that it will rise to greater powei than heretofore. There is a solid ground for that faith. Tn .1806 Napoleon destroyed, in a few days, the armies of Prussia which under Frederick the Great, had held all Europe in awe. Berlin was occupied by the French. Prussia was cut to pieces. A poor little remnant was loft to the wretched King, who became an abject vassal to the eolith c» conqueror. Prussia was allowed to keep only a few thousand soldiers. WHY GERMANS HOPE. In 181.3 Prussia saw her chance and took it. The country, which was supposed to be completely disarmed, UHiscd vast armies and took n leading in defeating Napoleonic France. precedent of 1806-1.813 serves asi H encouragement to all patriotic H-manrs for every child is made with Prussia’s rise from the humiliation to triumphant Every good German hopes the story of 1806-13 will repeat Germans believe that Froviis on their side. They have |HB taught that they are. the chosen They hate and despise the They think that presently will again advance to now that their predominance is Hn and inevitable. are certainlv important facjustify that belief. The race broods fast, while the population is almost stagI Tn 187 L there were 4.000,000 Germans than Frenchmen. the war broke out there were more Germans than MMhmen. to 101-I Germany's popu|!!|S increased by from 800,000 to HiO per year, while France's poHuii. grew only from 60,00.0 to pa- year. Germans calculated |Hb in a few ''ears’ time. Ihcite HHI be t'vo Germans to every if not three Germans to Frenchman, and that, before France would sink to the posi■<.r another Belgium.

pjEj|B|pll'■ lutes! .-‘ati.-iic .-Ik-", that Goponul.it ion ha.~ grown since lo ahout MMi.fxH) per year, Fc.m'co* population continues vast majority of Germans were expun.-ifinisls. The traditionoolicy of Prusso-Germany was anon conrtucst on land, and was considered to be Ger--IIH-. ' natural ally. Wilhelm IT. the traditional policy of countrv. embarked on the sea, with Russia. That led Hcrmnny’s undoing. intellectual leaders of GergdHT have preached ince lt*lS the ; of returning to the tradi j policy of their country. r l" j Russia is Germ nv’s par* nor. j n ilitiirx leader-, ih • profe.--..r>. . |H the publicises h:*.\e proclaimed n union with in some Hr or other, would make Ck-rmanj H, RHERnlil.' and all-powerful. ■ lß*>«-o-Germ;'n combination could |H be blockaded, fur it would be Stretching from the jßHnr to tlv Behring Strait, and huva population of at 250,000. people, that combination would dominate the. world. A. Germon-Rns-ian union is by no means impossible. For two centuries Russia has been virtually a German protectorate. ruling family of Russia, though called Romanoff, was. ! n vealit'x a Gorman family, the famih’ of Tfolsrein-Goth»rn. Since the time of Peter the Great all the Russian rulers have married German consorts. Germans cent oiled, the Russian army and navy, the diploma lie i vice, and economic affairs Tim Rus- • .-irm- . having exterminated the upper > and middle ‘ lasses. mufif import j leaders from nlvoad, and Germany . might provide th? m. Foreseeing the danger of it German- Russian < ombination which would be able to tear up the Treaty of Versailles and to dominate the i world, France has strengthened by all I means in her power Poland, which • separates Germany from Russia. The French insist upon adequate reparations because fhey foresee that otherwise Germany will overwhelm them. (Continued in Next- Column.)

POPULATION MENACE. The population of France has been stagnant because inadequate natural resources made its rapid expansion impossible. Germany’s population has increased very fast with the increase of the national wealth. M. Poincare has rightly pointed, out in his latest Note and in preceding ones, that France’s population will not merely become stationary, but will decline if she lias Lo bear the burden oi rep a rations. While many Englishmen wish to ?e‘.tie the reparation problem almost on any terms, hoping that such a setiieinvrst will improve trade, the more t‘ar-siglitcd French insist that the Germans. not they, should bear a b rge part of the cost of the war foiesecing that otherwise Germany will become all-powerful, while Fiance will decline to insignificance. Tim French do not wish to fight another war with Germany, a war in which they might be attacked by overwhelming numbers. Tt is underctandabley therefore, that they refi'se to abandon their claims upon Germany, and that they hesitate to disarm.