The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-11-25
ALLIES HAVE
HUGE BILLS TO
u. s. FOR WAR
Britain, Especially, Has Heavy
Charges Against America for
Ships and Other Aid.
FRENCH settlement ISEASY
This Country Now Has on French Soil
Millions of Dollars Worth of Per-
manent Structures Which Will
Aid in Reconstruction Work.

Washington, Nov. 25.-The United
States and Great Britain, it was stat
ed on authority, have agreed on the
principle by which there shall be
settlement of mutual indebtedness in
such matters as use Of ships, transpor-
tation of troops to Europe, docking
charges and other related items.
This has been done so lately there
have been as yet no great patches Of
bills presented from British sources,
and it is believed the status is the
same with respect to France.
It also is stated the question Of
settlement with France will be
comparatively easy task, as the
United States has now on French soil
millions Of dollars worth of perma-
nent structures which will aid in the
immediate reconstruction of France
if taken over by the government.
U. S. Own Quarrel.
That Great Britain and France
should have bills against the United
States is, at first sight, not obvious.
Authorities say, however, that when
the United States entered the war it
went in with it's own cause of quarrel
against Germany and to carry on the
''war of the United States versus
Germany"
IT'S policy was necessarily one OF
payment for any military privilege
to make the war Of the United States
success. Therefore, international
obligation and equity, it is said, made
it obligatory on the United States to
pay for what 1T needed in France just
as If France were not in the war at
all and merely allowed the United
States to use its territory and ma
tional supplies, railroads, docks. auto
service, markets, etc.
The same, 1t is stated, would be
true of any facilities furnished by
Great Britain either Of British soil
or in the way Of ships.
Britain's Bill Colossal.
The bills from England doubtless
will be Of the first magnitude If not
colossal because go per cent Of the
transports the United States used
were British owned.
It is stated that where big ships
were used with no return cargo OF
any consequence the charge per man
might easily be $40, in others $40,
with, of course, other apparently less
startling figures.
The principle referred to, however,
may present some equities that are
not yet disclosed by either Great
Britain or that Of the United States.
On the other hand, American ships
which carried supplies for the allies
will have a charge against them for
the freight. Both France and Great
Britain have bought very largely in
the United States with money loaned
to them.
Items OF Value In France.
Some of the items of value which
the United States now has in France
were mentioned today. These show
in round numbers 1900 standard
gauge locomotives, 14,00O standard
gauge freight ears, all of American
manufacture; $50 locomotives and
I,AOO freight CdIS VI IoleiSH hit'he' Ooo
miles Of standard-gauge railways, 115
miles of road and 140 miles of light
railway. $1,000 motor vehicles, 225
miles of French railways (probably
under lease), vast stores of artillery
munitions Of war, 10 steamer berths
at Bordeaux, s berths at Monoir,
warehouses covering 23,OOO,OOO square
feet, and Developments" of dock IA
cilfties of several French ports.
Military stations for airplanes were
erected at several places on the
French coast, and large numbers Of
vessels of semimilitary character were
loaned to France for the protection
Of her shipping.