| Show i r I Of f PACT Involves Fate ate o of ReP Ee- Ee eA e- e A j P pu puw public 11 C Claim aim w fiR DRi WIRTH IT TALKS Rhineland Verdict x PI Plays ys Big Part Parti i I I By By By FREDERIC FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE r Written for The Telegram ASHINGTON W Oct 13 That That I the very existence of the young t German erman republic Is involved In the I s s r pact negotiations now in n ogress at Locarno Is the view of ot r nc Josef Joset Wirth former chancellor of G Germany Before leaving the In- In union meeting In Washington n Dr Wirth gave this writer an uncommonly frank diagnosis diagnosis diagnosis of ot the existing situation in inGerman German Germany Wirth Virth declares in so many words that If it the Rhineland continues to be occupied Indefinitely Indefinite indefinite- l ly b by France Belgium and Great Britain nationalist sentiment may maybe maybe be aroused to such a point that the republic will wUl be overthrown and military reaction enthroned In Its place f T That Is the real state of affairs In Germany at this hour said Dr Wirth who describes himself as a wool tHe republican and who did his utmost last spring to prevent the election of Field Marshal Marshal Marshal Mar Mar- von to the dency My l political associates associate of the Centrist Roman Catholic party Dr Wirth firth continued believe believe be lieve the republic Is safe so far as President Hindenberg himself is concerned He took the oath to the constitution He Is an old soldier soldier soldier sol sol- sol sol- dier and he will honor oath Of that few tew of us have any doubt But loyally as HInderberg may comport himself conditions may ensue of ot a nature entirely beyond his control I mean that the nationalist passions passions passions pas pas- of ot Germany may become so Enflamed by continued political subjugation subjugation subjugation sub sub- in the Rhineland that the most sincere devotees of the republic lic Hc will be overwhelmed ALLIES RESPONSIBLE It is f for r the allied powers not the German government or people to prevent the arrival of such con con- They can do dot doso so only by pledging themselves at the earliest earlie t feasible moment to evacuate c the oc occupied occupied oc- oc zones on the Rhine I do donot donot donot not not suggest that must be Immediate But occupation must not pot be prolonged to the end of ot the full year fifteen ear period provided b by bythe bythe the treaty of ot Versailles If It there is no abandonment nt of ot that thai provi provi- provision provision sion slon nobody can predict how long reactionary nationalist sentiment can be repressed or what the duration duration duration dura dura- tion of the seven seven- year seven old ear German republic will wUl be III l 10 is the youth of Germany In whose keeping the destiny of ot the republic is placed the placed the youth that will be the soldiers of tomorrow If German youth Is brought up in inthe inthe inthe the existing atmosphere of or hatred and revenge such as the continued occupation occupation- of ot the Rhineland Is unquestionably unquestionably unquestionably un un- questionably breeding It will grow into a German manhood that may seek salvation for the fatherland under some other form of ot government government government govern govern- ment than the republic which seemed powerless to to regain Germanys Germany's Germanys Germany's Germanys Germany's Ger Ger- many's liberty SEES IMPORTANT MOVE The step that Foreign Minister has taken taken- taken to to offer France a non-aggression non and security securIty securIty ity pact pact is in my Judgment the most Important political action taken taken taken tak tak- en in Europe for fifty years If It France and Germany contract not notto notto notto to make war on each other the peace of Europe ought to be assured for tor generations to come That is a aboon aboon aboon boon It seems to us that western Europe can afford to purchase at atthe atthe atthe the price we Germans feel we are entitled to ask risk namely namely at the price of ot fair tair play and a fair chance for ourselves Without V a restored Rhineland there cannot be that psychological state of ot mind In Germany Germany Germany Ger Ger- many which Is necessary to the re rehabilitation rehabilitation re- re habilitation of ot our economic structure ture We Ve cannot get back to work In Inthe Inthe inthe the old way as long as our greatest greatest greatest great great- est Industrial province is Ig shackled by foreign military occupation There may be no actual interference with our domestic political and commercial activities But the yoke of ot the conqueror will be around our necks all aU the same As long as Itis it itis is is- there there can be no real content content content con con- tent no spiritual happiness no mental mental mental men men- tal peace And these things every economist and every statesman knows are essential if it J. J nation is isto Isto isto to recover its physical strength and self respect Every hour the there thee e shackles remain upon us just that much water is poured upon the nationalist mill Just tha that much strength Is sapped from the republican republican republican lican movement By Just that much will its growth be retarded CLOSELY LINKED These are the results Germany hopes will eventually flow from Locarno Lo Lo- carno liberty carno-liberty liberty for the RhIneland corresponding support for foP the G German German Ger Ger- rm r- r m man n republic They are indissolubly indissolubly bly linked Dr Wirth as chancellor together er with the martyred Dr Walther Hatt nau as his foreign minister evolved e In 1921 22 22 the so-called so policy polk of ot fulfillment of ot Germanys Germany's obligations under the treaty of V Ver Ver- r- r sailles Wirth affirms Germanys Germany's determination to live lire up to the re requirements requirements requirements re- re of ot the Dawes plan in letter and spirit to the limit of her capacity But he thinks it will be for the next year or two to show whether the paramount question of ot transferring huge sums of German gold marks Into payments in foreign foreign foreign for for- eign currency can be permanently solved without grave disturbance of exchange and export conditions Copyright 1925 |
