The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-12-12
BY GUSTAvE MILLER

That Germany was responsible for the
present var has been established beyond
any doubt: that she ought to pay tn.
costs Of the terrible carnival Of death
and destruction is a matter Of course
the new. kaiser and kingless era Ebert
notwithstanding. Their arises the uusS-
ton: To what extent VIII she nc aole
TO pay" The answer is: TO the iuit
extent provided the TictorS are resolved
- treat the Germans as the Huns nave
treated the countries opposing them anu
and planned 10 treat the Allies IN case
OF victory Of the kaiser. The %hoie
German nation must be taken 10 &C
count. because through its spokesman
from Oldeuburg to Schcidemonn anu
Ebert il approved not only the war OK
conquest and the greed and brutality
manifested during the armed conflict.
but also the war aims OF the JunkerS.
The war costs of America and the
Allies excluding Russia. amount already
to SIPS. 900. nnp. 500. and may reach Sl4".-
noe. 100000 hcfOrn peace Is concluded
To that sum must be added the expenses
for the reconstruction "t devastated Ter
ritory. About two-thirdS If that vast
sum must be refunded by Germany and
tho rest by her allies according 10 the
wealth Of the mHr'h"rS OF the late quad
ripple alliance. While her total national
wealth before the war WAS estimated at
SIS 900 onn. nnD. Germany will have to
pay about Sl0n. h0n. 0oh.0n provided III"
Allies insist as they oush, to do. on full
rcparation.
The task seems impossible Of accom-
plishment at tho first glance. The
thing nevertheless. can BE- done on the
same plan on which man with few
hundred dollars In cash buys house
for several thousand dollars. and &C
QuircS by and by 4 clear title by paying
every month some dollars more than he
would pay for rent.
At per cent interest the s10n.nna.-
100000 Germany ought - pay bear an
annual interest ut t.nhn. moo. nnh. II SI.-
300. 600 ono were paid annually the pr;n-
eipal would be paid after 39i: years.
Would It he possible to exact an an
nuar payment of S5"nh."0n. mo from
Germany" America and the Allies arc
no, concerned at all with the payment
OF interest on tn" Fathcrland'S war
debts and prr-war debts. That nrnbiepl
remains entirely for the Germans TO
solve. These debts may even be re-
. pudiatcd.
II l.; X sensible precautionary measure
70 forbid Germany TO maintain IN army
w navy the budgets Of which amounted
in l9l3-l4 to l.2"". l%!.543 and H4.?2i.-
4i7 marks. respectively. As the Faith
crland will hc stripped OF IT'S expensive
colonies. i: will save 25.9+5.1h6 marks
annually. and it may stop 10 pay IN
tcrest on its prr-war debts and thereby
Gu, down its budget by .eI!,"?p. lin
marks. That will make a total saving
u l.9T5.399"G6 marks year. Tint
amount can be hrnush, up 20 ".hQhhn".-
ono marks 10y cutting out III" many
secret funds OF .ticctuauy and the ind!-
yidual federal states: these secret funds
hav. never been used for any decent
purnoSr. As the Germans are rid q!
their rultlE houses. they save about
70.nnn. Qnn in eppanages Of which the
kaiser. rs king Of Prussia. received an
annual allowance Of :h.hnh.nhn marks.
and further more al least IN equal
anlouE, from state owned donations