Salt Lake Tribune | 1919-05-25 | Page 26 | Severity Justified

long years o? German, f rightfulness in ever direction of war effort lias mad'? 1 polite words out of place in considering consider-ing the jilea of the Huna for inodifiea-i inodifiea-i tiou of the penalty. If the German ! delegation at Versailles, headed by j Count von Tirorkdorff Kantzau, dots I not appreciate the faet that retribu-j retribu-j tion iiust follow German wantonness 1 there are German representatives v:ho do. 1'or instance, Edward Bernstein, : the German social democratic leader, charges that his country 's present plight is due to its wretched indifference indiffer-ence to the rights of other peoples. Coming Com-ing down to the peace terms, Herr Bernstein declared that "we must admit ad-mit that we knowingly caused much damage- and that the allied demands are no more than just as reparation for what we have done." The only result of the efforts of the German peace envoys to secure a modification modi-fication of the terms has been to provoke pro-voke a convincing argument against any such amelioration of penalties. It is time that Count von Brock dorf f-Rantzau f-Rantzau and hi.i associates recognized the inflexible purpose of the allies to stick to the exactions imposed on Germany. Ger-many. They can sign or reject the terms, but they cannot altpr them. SEVERITY JUSTIFIED. Tlio answer to the German note on the economic phases of tho peace terms bears the signature of Georges Clemen-ceau. Clemen-ceau. The reply may or may not be the work of the French premier. It makes little difference who wrote it. The important fact is that it constitutes consti-tutes a sufficient rejoinder to the German Ger-man argument. One can believe that Clemenceau at least wrote the major portion of the reply, since the French statesman is given to blunt language and peculiar directness in reaching his objective. Here is what the Germans are invited in-vited to remember in connection with the peace terms: The sacrifice of her (Germany's) shipping is tho inevitable and necessary neces-sary penalty for the ruthless campaign which sho waged in defiance of all laws and precedent. It is a very moderato share of a loss for which her own criminal deeds havo been responsible. They (the German territories) have escaped tho shocking fate which was dealt out by the German armies. It cannot be forgotten that among the most wanton acts perpetrated by the German armies was the almost complete com-plete destruction by her of the coal supplies of northern Franco. An entire en-tire industry was obliterated with a calculation and savagery which it will take many years to repair. Every country is called upon to suffer. suf-fer. There is no reason why Germany, which was responsible for the war, should not suffer also. Indeed, so far aa pillage and devastation devas-tation are concerned, Germany's territories terri-tories have not suffered at all. Shu cannot escape unscathed. The share which she is being called on to bear of the enormous calamity has been apportioned by tho victors not to hor deserts, but solely to her ability to bear it. Hor hardships will' arise not from the conditions of peace, but from the acts of those who provoked and prolonged tho war. Those who wero responsible for that war cannot escape its just consequences. This is strong language. But. four