Nor is this all. If armed intervention means, as it
almost certainly will, some violent political changes in Germany—very' probably in the direction of militarism —it may well have a similar reaction in France. If France were able to accomplish the military part of her occupation quickly and triumphantly, the result would be to produce something in the nature of a military dictatorship. On the other hand, a failure would be certain to bring a reaction against the politicians for their folly in having, as would be said, let the soldiers loose. Whether successful or unsuccessful, such a policy as that advocated by M Poineare would menace the stability of the Republic. To sum up, France is destroy- ing all hope of getting that reasonable reparation which we all desire that she shall eventually obtain. We have shown her the way to get, if not all the money that was talked about so foolishly at Versailles, at any rate a substantial sum, and we refuse to believe that she will cut her own throat.
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