The sun., 1919-09-14
WANT TO BOOST U. S.
SHARE OF WAR COST
France and Italy Believe That
League of Nations Can
Force Payment.
TREATY is NEAR PASSAGE
Ratification Expected in Two
Weeks-Catholics Oppose
Austrian Terms.
BY LAURENCE HILLS.
StdG Correspondent OF The SUI.

BY LAURENCE HILLS.
star Correspondent OF TIE Sun.
Copyright, 1919, all rights reserved.
PARIS, Sept. 13.-The treaty with Ger
many will be ratified by the French and
italian Parliaments about the same time,
probably in two weeks. according to
present indications. This will put the
treaty into effect and will at once bring
up the question as to whether the Coun-
ell Of the League of Nations shall func-
ton with only three members instead
OF nine, in the appointment of the Saar
commission and In the exercise of the
other powers devolving upon It.
Early ratification by the italian Par
lament is foreshadowed by the Luzzati
report favoring such action, which shows
that the Italian interest in the League
Of Nations lies chiefly in the hope which
the Italians think 1t affords of pooliI g
of war debts through the creation of a
financial section of the league.
In other words, the Luzzau report
espouses that idea of NJ Klotz, the
French Finance Minister. advanced be-
fore the Chamber of Deputies here re-
Gently, that the League of Nations can
make the United States bear a larger
share of the total war cost than has
fallen to her through her own experdi-
lures This is the idea that the Ameri-
can financhf experts tried to smother
here but which France, Italy and other
European nations refuse to give up and
they are certain to fight for it II the
League Of Nations ever really gets 60
| ing.
Say U. s. Exacts Tribute.
The idea of financial section to the
| league is based on the view that Amer
lea has not borne her proper share fnan-
cially of the war. a view which has
| caused great resentment In these coun-
| tries since the rise in the price of the
American dollar abroad. In all foreign
circles here the argument that America
has asked nothing is met bv the asser-
| tion that the United States through the
present exchange rates is exacting
| tribute now from all her allies and
reaping a harvest at their expense
Both France and Italy appear to be
| intent upon using the League of Ma
ton, If 1t is organized. to compel the
United States to disgorge her profits
through the pooling scheme.
The disquisition of NJ. Loucheur, Min
ber of Deputies regarding the amount of
reparation the Allies may expect from
Germany is the subject of much COM
ment because he refused to indulge in
| the fanciful dream of Louis KlotZ, Min
lister of Finance. but advanced econ
omic arguments as the basis for his
belief that Germany could pay the
gigantic sum of eighteen milliards of
francs equivalent OF s3,600. 100000 at
normal exchange) annually for thirty
| six years, the crux of his argument be-
ing that Germany would not pay actual
ly & in gold ,D but IN In, raets. and and that at at
as difficult for her to pay as it seems.
being equivalent to about six milliards
Of francs s1,2oo, ,ooo,ooo).
Fear Reaction on France.
The economist of the Temps, however,
points out the fallacy of this argument,
showing that the same rise in prices
| whereby Germany would be enabled to
pay such a sum through her industry
has an equal repercussion in France
in the sense that 1t increases the cost
of French reconstruction in the same
proportion.
Discussion of the Austrian treaty will
be taken up In the Chamber of Depu-
| ties Immediately after the ratification of
the pact with Germany. It is certain
now that the present Chamber will clear
| up all signed treaties before 1t finally
breaks UP. leaving perhaps only the
Turkish treaty to the succeeding Par
lament for ratification.
The Austrian treaty is likely to en-
counter serious opposition in the Cham
| ber of Deputies from the Catholic MEM
bers. The clerical faction has shown
all through very keen resentment over
| the treatment of the former Hapsburg
| state. Not only do they see the power
of the Catholic church in Austria under
mined by the present treaty. but they
believe with the Vatican that it end
dangers the Pope's position where once
| 1t had a powerful stand, and paves the
way for the utter destruction and ulti-
! mate disappearance of Catholicism in
Central Europe.
The Socialists also intend to fight the
| Austrian document. Lively interpella-
tons are expected concerning the recent
alleged plots for the restoration of the
| Hapsburgs under the sanction of certain
allied Powers. The Socialists are plan
| ming also to revive the Czernin-C -Clemen-
ceau controversy of 1918, which concerns
! the letter said to have been written by
| Emperor Karl supporting Frances claim
30 Alsace-Lorraine and asking for peace