OCR Text |
Show "Such Was and Such Is the Part Played by the German Magnates" By JOSEPH CAILLAUX, In Current History Magazine. , GERMANY, naturally, did not fail to take advantage of the underlying difference in policy between the victorious powers. It confirmed her in the design which her captains of industry had conceived and imposed on the vacillating government, namely to evads the payment of reparations. ... Germany before the war was a vast firm, an immense factory, if . ons prefers that term, of which all the parts were closely welded together. The mines, the factories of Alsace, of Lorraine and of Upper Silesia, were incorporated in the edifice, which was supported by the gigantic props called customs duties and especially by the trusts. The normous structure was bound to collapse whenever one of its parts was torn away, or one of its props damaged. The great German industrial magnates have not understood, or else have not wished to understand, the significance of the defeat inflicted on their country. Instead of reaching the conclusion that the force of circumstances cir-cumstances compelled them to establish German economic life on the basis of formulas new to them, but similar to those of their Anglo-Saxon Anglo-Saxon rivals,-they undertook, immedately after their defeat, to carry ' out the designs that they had previously cherished, that is, to construct, by artificial processes, an industrial system so strong that it would be able to crush the universe. Had territory, rich in mines and factories, been taken away from them? What did that matter? They could procure from foreign sources the ore supplies that were indispensable. By means of great internal works they would create economic conditions which would permit them to transport their raw material at little expense, and also to replace the factories they had lost. . But money, much money, would be required for all that How could they find it? By Belling, in foreign markets, mark currency, a proceeding which Professor Cassel, whom no one can tax with hatred of Germany, has called "the most gigantic swindling operation that the world has tver known." When one pursues such objectives and undertakes to use all the resources of the nation to acquire mines in Austria, Sweden and Chile, to deepen ports, to dig canals, one cannot dream of paying indemnities in-demnities to conquerors. Such was and such is the part played by the German magnates. . . , |