Relations Between France And Germany

RELATIONS BETWEEM FRANCE AND GERMANY A REPORT BY HENRI IJCHTENBERGER Professor at the Sorbonne Upon his investigation of conditions in Germany made at the invitation of the European Bureau of the Division of Intercourse and Education of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace WASHINGTON PUBLISHED BY THE ENDOWMENT 1923 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Division of Intercourse and Education Director, NICHOLAS MURRAY BUTLER European Organization Advisory Council President, BARON PAUL DESTOURNELLES DE CONSTANT, France. BARON THEODOR ADELSWARD, Sweden. GUSTAV ADOR, Switzerland. PAUL APPELL, France. E. BENES, Czechoslovakia. LEON BOURGEOIS, France. SIR WILLIAM J. COLLINS, England. MGR. SIMON DEPLOIGE, Belgium. SIR HENRY E. DUKE, England. JEAN EFREMOFF, Russia. HELLMUT VON GERLACH, Germany. EDOARDO GIRETTI, Italy. JUSTIN GODART, France. SIR SAMUEL JOHN GURNEY HOARE, England. HANS J, HORST, Norway. PAUL HYMANS, Belgium. WELLINGTON Koo, China. HENRI LA FONTAINE, Belgium. ALFRED LAGERHEIM, Sweden. Lou TsENG-TsiANG, China. J. RAMSEY MACDONALD, England. COUNT ALBERT VON MENSDORF, Austria. RT. HON. VISCOUNT MORLEY OF BLACK BURN, England. - FRIDTJOF NANSEN, Norway. MINORU OKA, Japan. ALBERTO DOLIVEIRA, Portugal. COMTE DE PENHA-GARCIA, Portugal JOSEF REDLICH, Austria. CHARLES RICHET, France. FRANCESCO RUFFINI, Italy. His HIGHNESS PRINCE SAMAD KHAN MONTAZOS SALTANEH, Persia. RT. HON. BARON SHAW OF DUNFERM LINE, England. ELEUTHERIOS VENIZELOS, Greece. ANDR WEISS, Fiance. European Bureau 173 Boulevard St. Germain, Paris President, BARON DESTOURNELLES DE CONSTANT, S NATEUR. Vice-President, JUSTIN GODART. Assistant Director, J. J. PRUDHOMMEAUX. FOREWORD It is greatly to be hoped that thisEnglish version of Professor Lichtenbergers striking report on present political and social conditions in Germany will be widely read and pondered in the United States and throughout the British Empire. It is the sincere effort of a judicious and well-informed scholar to assist in laying the basis for a new and better understanding of the German people of today. The War is over, although that fact and its logical consequences are not ac cepted by many persons in many lands. The time of destruction has passed, and the time for construction has begun. The new world, of which the heart of man is in search, has not yet come above the horizon. This new world can only be brought into view if there be a more complete understanding of the facts of political, social and economic conditions as the War has left them, and if there be a larger measure of human sympathy and of Christian charity for those of other political, social and economic views than our own, as well as for those who, though holding views like ours, find their lot cast under wholly different conditions. The hope expressed toward the close of Professor Lichtenbergers report, has not yet been fulfilled. On October 29, 1922, the Reparation Commission met at Berlin to consider with the German Government the financial and economic situation in all its aspects. The meeting was in large part futile, since the Ger man Government was not able to offer a definite and constructive plan for dealing with the situation that exists. At once, however, there took place the union of the Independent Socialists and the Majority Socialists t prophesied by Professor Lichtenberger but the influence of this union was short lived, since it was impossible to effect a sufficiently broad coalition to include the Populist party. Thereby a political crisis was precipitated which resulted in the fall of the Wirth government on November 14, 1922, The present Cuno government, supported largely by the great industrial interests, openly placed itself in sharp opposition to the demands of France, The events that followed need no emphasis...