The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-01-24


who is to have them. So, too, in
the matter of indemnities it seems
pretty clear that the Allies intend tc
exact from Germany, not punitive
indemnity such as Germany exacted
from France in 1871, but an indenl-
nifty Of repayment and restitution. In
D recent speech in the Chamber OF
Deputies Mr.. Louis Klotz, Frances
Minister of Finance, recalled the say
ing of Mr.. Lloyd George that "Ger-
many must pay for the war the limit
of her capacity to pay" and that
Mr. Clemenceau had declared that a
"most terrible account between peo-
pies is opened; it shall be settled"
According to the Matin, Mr.. Klotz We
hemently added:
Indeed, it will, and it will be the
duty of the Government jealousy tc
watch over this payment. The tax
payer will accept the sacrifices de-
manded of him if he feels that every
thing has been done to obtain from
the enemy restitution, reparation, and
the necessary guarantees without
which public opinion, which has plac-
ed confidence in US, will be deceived.
The Chamber must say whether it in
tends to make our country, or those
responsible for the war, pay the cost
of it,
Even more emphatic are the declar-
ations of British statesmen. In
speech at Dundee reported in the
London Daily Chronicle, one of the
English Cabinet Ministers, Mr. Win
ston Churchill, remarked:
owe intend to make Germany pay
for the harm she has done to the
uttermost. farthing. The Germans
are capable Of paying ton for ton OF
their shipping, and their gold, their
securities, and any other liquid assets
of which they may dispose
| eve intend to exact from them
these things by way of general repa-
ration for the injury they have done
subject only to this, that, in extract
ing this payment from them, we
must be careful not to extract it in q
form which will injure our own
trade"
The London Daily Mail reminds us
that Germany had specifically avow-
ed her intention of exacting large in
4 IDENTITIES from all the Allies:
4 "What she intended to do with the
Allies if she won she was kind enough
to inform the world when her arni IS
seemed to have victory within their
grasp. She meant to take all their
foreign securities. The United States
was to be made to surrender enor-
nous sums. Great Britain, as Count
Won Room told the Prussian Upper
Chamber some months ago, was to be
called upon to provide s45,000,O00,.
900. we must not hesitate to place
upon France burden which presses
her down to the utmost stated that
well-known German economist, Pro.
fessor Schumacher"
The total war-expenditure incurred
by the Allies stands at about $125,
000,000.000. and may be considerably
reduced. It is thus less than one
seventh the main German assets il
sight.
"The people who tell us Germany
can not pay disregard the fact tina
during the last decade before the wa
Germany was accommodating wealth
with a speed rivaled by no nation ex
cept perhaps the United States. Ac
! cording to Herr Helfferieh, she wa
h saving $2,500,000,0 of capital eacl
year, and was investing a large par
OF that in foreign securities. Thos
securities have not all vanished G
been n1ortgaged, and she can pay tn
first instalment of her debt to the All
! lies by handing them over
The editor of that somewhat caus
tic paper, the London Truth, warn
his readers that it is possible for tn
Allles, IN cxacting indemnities from
Germany, 20 lose rather than gain b
The process. He says:
There Is not merely the question
OF capacity, but the question of tn
/ ways and means of payment. Onl
ignorant and foolish persons supnos
that Germany can pay any large in
demnity in gold. All the gold sb
IN "ONAd 1iOL pay LOT even hal
! Of the material damage she has don
IN Belgium alone. 1t is only i
goods and labor that payment of a
indemnity is practicable, and Their,
] as the Prime Minister and Sir Fri
I Geddes have pointed out, you are u
J against another troublesome problem
/ You have to take care that you d
not carry your demands. to length
| which will injure your own industrie
and stimulate those of the enemy, an
I that might happen whether the gooe
| Hooded the market here or in an
other country.
1 "Ail this does not mean that &c
many is to be let off. but simply tn,
It IS ridiculous to talk about indemn
y ties without any regard to such. Wit
considerations as, first of all, IL