THE CONSEQUENCES OF VERSAILLES
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR] SIR,—Does it matter two straws whether Versailles was a just peace rightfully imposed upon Germany as a penalty for numerous high crimes and misdemeanours, or a mere brutal peace of violence ?
The real point is that, in either case, it was an impossible peace. It could only have been imposed upon Germany if Germany had first been reduced to permanent impotence, the Clemenceau policy with its breaking up of the Reich, and the establishment about the powerless remnants of the German State of a group of French vassal States pledged to unite with France in preventive war at the first sign of a German revival. Germany would not and could not tolerate a treaty which loaded her with petty insults, created three or four petty Alsace-Lorraines upon her border, proclaimed her Unfit to share colonial responsibilities (it is that folly far more than the actual loss of colonies that Germany now resents), if she ever secured the power to repudiate it. Why then was such a peace dictated to Germany in 1918 if it were intended, as it manifestly was, to allow the possibility of Germany becoming again a Power of weight in Europe ?
The answer is simple and discreditable to us. English interests would not permit the destruction of Germany and the setting up of a French dictatorship over Europe. But our rulers of the day, despite their cry of " Trust the People " and a " World made safe for Democracy," dared not try the honest plan of telling the truth, and forcing France to concede reasonable terms. So they allowed France to indulge to a dangerous degree in a very natural passion for revenge (as long as it stopped short at the point where Germany might have been destroyed). Meanwhile they collected votes for a Khaki Election by beating the anti-German drum, shrieking " Hang the Kaiser," and generally doing all they could to discredit the system of democracy for which they professed to have incurred a million. casualties and" economic ruin.- The result was Versailles, a Treaty that could 'safely be' imposed only upon a nation, for ever reduced to impotence, but in fact unposed upon dnewhich was still left with the power to recover first-class status.
And now, in 1938, these chickens come winging home to roost, and the best that the partisans of Versailles can suggest is another " War for Democracy " oblivious of the fact that such a war could only succeed either in widening the area of Fascism, or replacing Fascism by the deadly menace of Com- munism. Mr. Chamberlain, the first statesman that Great Britain has produced in this century, dared to say no to this insane plan, and so .they, yap at his heels. A little humility for past errors would become them better.—Yours, &c.; . WRAY MINT.
33 Oak Hill Gardens, Woodford Green, Essex. .
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