The Washington herald., 1919-01-22
American and Allied Fl
nanciers Considering Size
Of Indemnity to Be Ex-
acted Of Germany; Like
ly to Be $l50,000, ,000,-
600; Economic Ruin Of
Nation Feared. y

Paris. Jan. H.-Already some of the
great financiers of America and Brit
ain now in Paris are considering the
amount of the indemnity which Ger
many is capable of paying.
This is bound to prove one of the
most difficult questions to come before
the Peace Conference for decision.
There is absolute unanimity on the
principle that Germany should be as
sessed to the full limit of her capacity
for the wanton destruction which
rightfully can be charged against her
But there is a wide difference OF
opinion as to the amount which can
be expected without draining the COO
nomic life blood of the nation and
making it not only impossible to re-
cuperate within a reasonable period
OF time. but making it impossible to
continue payments at all.
Bills to Total s150, 0,0OO, 900 900
The difference in the unofficial
estimates of the allied nations and
the estimates of American fiQanciers
is SO wide that it is more than
probable the conference will be
forced to select an interallied finan-
cial commission to thoroughly con-
SANSA Aht DlllS SdlnSI TeTmany
which the allies have to present,
and then considering the extent to
which the present and prospective
resources of Germany are capable
of standing the strain of these de-
mands.
The estimated bills of the various
allies follow:
France .............s$ 1855. 900, 900. 900
Britain " 81 non non non
italy ................ 2O,000,OOO. 900
Belgium .......... 10000, 900. 900
serbia ...............' 1000, ,OOO, OOJ
Rumania ...... 5000, 900. 900
The total maximum claims approx
mate Sl5O, 900. 900. 900. That does not in
clude' Americas claims, if she makes
any
Fear Ruin of Germany.
The difficulty is that some financi-
ers who have given careful Considera-
ton to the question do not believe
Germany can take care of any such
vast sum, and they have voiced the
opinion that il so great a sum should
be exacted. the levy would result in
Germany's economic ruin.
Financiers who have advanced this
view are by no means disposed to be
ltnlcHl "lln NTeTfnany. lney desire
that she shall be made to paw as
much as she can bear, but they hold.
at the same time, that to assess her
more than she can bear would be a
mistake from the allied viewpoint.
Such action. they say. would. dis
rupt the. economic life of Germany
and add fuel to the flames of ter
Torism, already a serious menace in
the central countries
Must Furnish Materials.
Some estimates of American finan-
ciers as to the amount of debt Ger
many could absorb are absurdly at
variance with the ideas of the Brit
ish and French and will be bitterly
contested by both these nations. In
these estimates those who think they
would represent a proper and safe
exaction say the ability of America
and Great Britain to raise enormous
loans without serious economic dis
turbance must not be confused with
payments which would take money
out of Germany. These financiers
say no matter what indemnity asked
of Germany shall be- II it runs over
$4,000, 900. 900, the United States and
other countries must loan Germany
raw materials, making these the
basis of bankers exchange. To pay
the indemnity, they say, Germany
must be allowed to produce She
cannot produce unless she is fur
nished raw materials.