The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1917-06-21
FRENCH ESTIMATE WAR
LOSS, $15,000,OO0,OO0
Believed It Would Take Present
Courts in Invaded Provinces
178 Years to Settle Claims.

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Paris, (hy mail).-Fifteen billios
francs is the estimate most generally
accepted as the total OF war damages
to public and private property in
France, according to Georges Desplas,
of the war damages committee of the
chamber or deputies. who has charge OF
the legislation for the settlement of
those damages. Although prior to this
war such damages were classed as
catastrophies oVer which neither men
nor governments had any control, the
general principle of indemnity for such
damages whether by the invaders or by
the home army was accepted by the
chamber of deputies last year and a
provisional sum of 800. 900, 600 francs
has already been appropriated for inn
mediate distribution.
over 100000 claims are anticipated.
a number 50 vast that it would take
the 80 courts of the invaded DEPART
ments of France about lis years to
settle them at their normal rate of pro-
cedure. says NJ. Desplas, in explaining
to the Associated Press the bill now
under discussion i'll parliament. 1T pro-
poses,'' he. says, the creation of tenn
porary war indemnity tribunals some
h similar to the courts of claims in
the United States cfter the civil war
Each canton and each department in
stASL hs.S Nv l CS lottE ~ 1
sions which will appraise damages. The
temporary war tribunals in each de-
partrnent viii pass upon these clainS,
and in cases of contest, appeals will be
made to a body called the higher COM
mission. composed of members of par.
lament. justices OF the supreme court,
representatives of the different agricul-
tura societies n various departments
OF the government. as already provided
for by the law of July 20, 1915.
The bill admits all property holders,
corporations. departments and munich
palities as we'll rs individuals to the
right to .ndemnities. 1t does moi
specifically accord the right to foreign
property holders because such a gem
eral principle would establish a precc-
dent froy. which other nations would
at orc 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 negotiated. in the
main, Stree the only existing treaties
that might be interpreted as emitting
subjects of another country to the same
rights as French citizens are with
Switzerland, Spain and Denmark"
The proposed law declares to be
war damaSeSn: Immediate damages
caused by military operations of the
German or allied troops, by fire. theft,
pilIage or as the result OF enforced
y va SANC O1
removal of their. chattels by the enemy.
The basis of the appraisal will be the
value of the property before the war.
h unemployment Of the sums paid
as indemnities in the reconstruction or
reconstruction OF the property destroyed
or damaged is one OF the much de-
bated articles Of the measure. The OBJ
Ject OF It is to assure the reconstruct
ton of Frances economic machinery
and any tendency of claim
ants to abandon industries or occupa-
tions upon which the prosperity OF the
country depends.
Prompt PREPARATION of damage after
the liberation Of the invaded territory
and immediate reconstruction of indus
tries n homes SO as to restore at the
earliest possible moment the economic
life OF the devastated provinces; that
is what we are seeking to accomplish"
said NJ. Desplas.
The Germans still occupy 1884 of the
36.247 of France. In those
coHmunes there were 3,43O,S28 inhabi-
tants before the war with $4,000 habi-
tations and 1890 factories. Complete
information. regarding damages in ter
ritOry that was temporarily occupied by
the Germans but now liberated
been gathered by the committee from
1853 communesi and showed a total OF
1862 buildings completely demolished
and 1854 jartly destroyed. i
n occupation of these parts OF the
invaded departments. since liberated.
brief n the damages they suf-
Tered are supposed to be insignificant
IN comparison with the regions in prog
imity@to the long stationary battle front
and behind the German lines.
The losses In raw materials and ma
chinery taken from the department OF
the Nord alone will run into Billions.
The department OF the Aisne has also
suffered heavily as well as the Pas de
Calais while the department Of the
Ardennes, entirely occupied since Au-
gust. 1914. will furnish claims unning
into h hundreds OF millions.
Fun With q Vacuum.
From the American Boy.
For this stunt you will need a burnt