Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-30

l1t1Cal Clauses loi CoAS
Rights and Interests OUTSIDE OF
Germany, and Military, Naval ana
AIR Clauses. Today the Repara-
ton Clauses of the Covenant will
be considered. So detailed are
many of the provisions falling
: under this head as to render tndf-
vidual reference impossible. The
purpose of the article will be
merely to give a general idea 'of
the scope Of the liabilities Ger
many has recognized in signing
the treaty and of the methods
through which the allies propose
to collect the reparation due them.
The opening clause Of this Sec
ton Of the treaty contains Ger
many's admission and acceptance
of her responsibility for the loss
and damage suffered by the allies
in a war brought on by the ag-<
erosion of Germany and her al
lies. That complete reparation for
this loss and damage by Germany
is impossible without completely
disorganizing the domestic. in
dustrial and economic life Of Ger
many is recognized by the allies,
who, with q view to exacting such
reparation only as may be borne
by the permanently diminished re-
sources Of their recent enemy,
adopt the following course Of pro-
cedure:
A reparation commission Of all
lied membership Ia to be formed,
with the function OF arranging
details as to such payments as are
Of considering claims generally
provided for; Of carefully estimat-
ing the extent to which German
resources may be drawn upon In
meeting that nations obligations;
and to act az the exclusive agency
holding and distributing the repa-
ration payments as they are made
by Germany. The commission will
be composed of seven delegates,
each with an assistant delegate
the United States, Great Britain.
France, Italy, Japan, Belgium and
the Serb-Croat-Slovene state each
name one delegate and his assist
ant Five Of these will sit at once:
on every occasion the delegate or
assistant delegate Of the four first
mentioned powers, and on<Specffed
occasions the representative of
one OF the remaining three.
Meeting for its first sessions in
Paris as soon as practicable after
the coming into erect Of the
treaty. and thereafter at such
times and places as 1t deems ex-
pedient, wide latitude in the han
ding and Interpretation Of the
IS PREPARATION clauses Of the treaty
IL accorded the commission.
Bound by NO particular code or
rules Of law. evidence or proce-
and good faith, 1t will hear in pri-
vate evidence and argument on
the part Of Germany as TO her
capacity to pay and reach final
determination on the claims of the
allies. Such Of the allies as are
not represented on the commits.
sion may have q delegate, acting
In the capacity OF an assessor and
without the right to vote, present
interests are under examination.
The salaries and all expenses of
the commission are to be borne by
: Germany, who will accord to its
members and authorized agents
the rights and immuntties en-
joyed In Germany. by the diplo-
matte agents of friendly powers.
This commission constitutes in
effect the machinery for a receiv.
ership for the satisfaction OF
claims 1emanating from the vari-
GUS sllied states. German Habil-
ity is unlimited In SO far as the
terms of the treaty go. and her
creditors are to be the sole arbi-
tiers as to the extent Of reparation
to be made.
The claims It will pass upon will
1 be principally those arising from
damage done to the civilian popu-
property by German aggression
by land, by sea and from the air.
These claims fall under such
heads as exposure at sea, cruelty
in occupied territory. maltreat-
ment Of prisoners, enforced labor,
extorted levies and fines, etc. By
the terms Of the treaty German
liability is, in fact confined to
these civilian claims and to Ger
TAIN specified claims Of the allies
\ ~ powers.
with the claims Of tho civilians
OF thG allies before It the commits
sion, after giving Germany just
opportunity to be heard, IL to no.
tify Germany as to the total amount
Of her obligations, az above indi-
Gated. on or before May /. 1921,
and at the same time draw up 9
schedule prescribing the time and
manner for securing and discharg-
ing the entire obligation before
4 May /, 1851. The possibility Of
postponing settlement to subse-
Quent years 10 provided for.
Germany's pledges to completely
restore Belgium are elaborated by
specific financial provisions, in
Guiding the assuming Of Belgium's
debt to the allies up to the sign
Ing of the armistice. The COM
mission will be charged with de-
termintng this amount.
In periodically estimating Ger
many's capacity to pay. the COM
mission. fs to examine the German
system of taxation. to the end
that Germany's liability to the
allies may become a charge upon
all her revenues, prior to that Of
any Of her internal obligations.
and that Germany's scheme OF
taxation be maintained at as
heavy level as that OF any OF
the powers represented on the
commission.
Germany, after agreeing IRE
vocably to recognize the authority
of the commission, promises that
she will furnish it with all infor-
nation 1t may require and Will
pass such legislation as may be
necessary to effectuate its ind
ings. Cash and certain articles
which can be identified, taken
from the allied countries by Ger
many, are to be restored.
AS guarantee as partial pay
ment on account Of the bill cover
ing the total amount OF allied
claims. the following stipulations
are made:
Germany will pay to the allies
$4,000, 100000, without interest.
not later than May 1. 1921. She
will issue $4,000. 100000 worth OF
gold bearer bonds. bearing inter-
est at IA per cent per annum be-
tween 1921 and 1926, and there.