The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-02-03
One FINANCIAL
FRONT PLANNED
italian Delegate Offers Plan.
Urges Fair Division of In
demnity Money.
LABOR QUESTION VITAL
Long Workday in Germany,
Meaning Cheap Production,
Must Be Regulated.

Paris, Feb. IA. PA universal
tax, the proceeds of which would be
put into a common fund along with
the indemnities Germany should be
made to pay, is proposed by Signor
Crespi, of the Italian delegation to
the peace conference, in the PROPOSE
tion he has made for the establish
ment of single financial front" for
the allies. The tax would furnish in
teres. on that portion of the debts Of
the allies which Germany had not
paid and provide a sinking fund for
ultimately cancelling the debts.
Signor Crespi, who said his pro-
posal for a single allied financial
front had been well received by the
allied ministers, declared his great
point was that the central empires as
a whole must be forced to compen-
safe the allies for the war damages
they have suffered. Responsibility
was collective, he said, and all the
enemy states would have to pay in
proportion to their wealth.
"On the other hand, all the allies
have suffered immense losses and
they must all benefit from the In
IDENTITIES which the enemy is to pay.
Each one should receive in proper
tion to the effort he has made. Thus,
smaller states that have spent more
than larger ones in comparison to
their wealth ought to receive larger
indemnities in proportion. Absolute
fairness ought to be observed in the
division of indemnities.
"The simplest way to carry out
the actual distribution would be to
put the entire fund into common
pool which could periodically be ap-
portioned among the different ma
tions. The fund should be augmented
by taxes of a universal character
levied on all states, enemy, allied or
neutral, the last named having bene-
fitted from the sacrifices by the allies.
Such taxes may be levied on imports
and exports and also on coal and raw
materials. 1t seems to me only fair
that countries which have benefited
and even grown rich through the suf-
fering and sacrifice of the allies
should be made to help compensate
the allies. Such tax would not
weigh more heavily on one state than
on another, since it would be univer-
sal. 1t would merely have the effect
of raising prices on some certain par
ticular products in all countries alike.
Force Enemy to Pay Soon.
1.-THE enemy should be forced to
pay off as soon as possible the, allies
debts. The international tax would
furnish interest on the rest and a
sinking fund for paying it off even-
IA IL
Tn my opinion, the enemy ought
to be allowed to pay not only in gold,
but in raw materials and finished
products. Part of their debt might
be covered by bonds. which they
would take up gradually in exchange
for goods delivered to the allies.
''The supply of raw materials is
another important question to be con-
sidered. If they are furnished to en-
envy countries at the same time and
at the same prices as to the allies.
industries have not been destroyed
and who are ready to return to a
peace basis in their production more
rapidly than the allies would reach
foreign markets quicker and in bet
ter condition than would be possible
for the allies. This we must avoid
at all costs. I. therefore, propose that
distribution of raw materials be in
ternationally controlled In such way
that allied countries may be served
before enemy countries.
another important question in
volved is the length of the working
day. A days labor in Germany be-
fore the war was very long. If it
continues so now, they will be able
to produce more cheaply than we
can. Therefore. international laws
on this question have become essen
tial
Another problem is that of ex-
change between different nations. To
cite an example, my own country.
when peace is established. will
have to import very largely to re-
plenish depleted stocks. This will
have a disastrous effect on our money
unless the states control exchange. I
therefore consider that the present
state of control of import and export
trade must continue for some time"