The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-01-23

control, the general principle Of IN
demnity for such damages whether by
the invaders or by the home army
was accepted by the chamber Of depu-
ties last year and Il provisional loan
Of 3OO,OOO,O0O francs has already been
appropriated for immediate distribu-
ton.
over two million claims are autici
pated, number so vast that it would
take the 30 courts of the invaded de-
partments Of France about IT'S years
TO settle them at their normal rate Of
procedure, says NJ. Desplas in explain
ing to the Associated Press the bill
now under discussion in parliament
1T proposes" he says, "the creation
Of temporary war indemnity tribunals
somewhat similar to the courts Of
claims in the United States after the
civil war. Each canton and each de
pdl lIl'HI III lllC lhfduNu ltblOu W III
have commissions which will appraise
damages. The temporary war tribun-
ais in each department will pass upon
these claims and in cases Of contest,
appeals will be made TO a body called
the higher commission, composed OF
members of parliament, justices Of the
supreme court, representatives of the
different agricultural societies and va
rious departments Of the government,
as already provided for by the law
Of July 20, 1915.
"The bill admits all property hold
ers, corporations, departments and
municipalities as well as individuals
to the right of indemntes. 1t does
not specifically accord the right to
foreign property holders because such
general principle would establish a
precedent from which other nations
| would at once benefit without any
prospect Of a reciprocal advantage for
France. AS to neutrals and subjects
of countries allied to France, it will
! be a question of treaties to be nego
tiated, in the main, since the only
existing treaties that might be inter
preted as emitting subjects of anoth
er country to the same rights as
French citizens are with Switzerland
Spain and Denmark
The proposed law declares to be
war damages" Immediate damages
caused by military operations of The
German or allied troops, by fire, theft
pillage or as the result of enforced
flight or captivity of the population o.
removal of their chattels by the en-
emy. The basis of the appraisal vii
be the value Of the property befor,
the war
The unemployment Of the sums pai,
as indemnities in the reconstruction
or reconstruction of the property de
stroyed or damaged is one of the muci
debated articles of the measure. Tn
object of it is to assure the recon
! struction of Frances economic m,
chinory and discourage any tendenc
Of claimants to abandon industries O
occupations upon which the prosper
ity of the country depends.
Prompt rcpa.Ition Of damage afte
the liberation Of the invaded territor
and immediate reconstruction of il
dustries and homes so as TO restore a
the earliest possible moment the ecC
nomic life of the devastated pro-
nccs. that is what we are seeking t
, accomplish" said NJ. Desplas.
The Germans still occupy 2,35i {
! the 3G.el7 communes Of France
, those communos there were 3,430,S2
p inhabitants before the war with 81,
GOO habitatious and 1880 factoric
( Complete information, regarding dan
: ages in territory that was tcmporariI
!. occupied by the Germans but no
.' liberated has been gathered by III
committee from 753 communcs an
showed a total of 1869 building
completely demolished and 25,59l par
ly destroyed.
The occupation of these parts Of III
invaded departments, since lihcrate
was brief and the damages they su
fcrcd are supposed to be iusignidcar
In comparison with the regions
proximity to the long stationary ba
tie front and behind the German line
The losses in raw materials and m
chinory taken from the department
the Nord alone will run into billion
The department Of the Aisnc has ais
, suffered heavily a swell as the p,
de Calais while the department of q
Ardcnues, entirely occupied since \
: gust, 1914, will furnish claims ru