The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-10
ReparatiOn Commission ia
Fix Entire Indemnity
After Treaty. j!
GERMANY PUT IN PAWN
Must Admit Responsibility
for All Damages Due to
Her Aggression.
EARLY PEACE IN SIGHT
Council of Four Also Reaches
an Agreement on Saar
Coal Field.
BY the Associated Presa.

6r he dssoctdfed Presa
PARIS, April 9.-The responsibility
of the German Emperor for the war
and the means for bringing him to
trial by one Of the allied Governments.
probably Belgium, have been den-
nitely determined upon by the Council
of -Four. This follows the definite de-
cision on the terms of reparations for
war damages, whereby $5,OOO,OO0OOO
must be paid within the next twu
years, and an Interalied Commission
assess the remaining damage for q
period of thirty years, beginning
May l, 1921.
Thus two Of the great obstacles
which stood in the path Of the rapid
attainment of peace have been re-.
moved within the last twenty-four
hours. and the period Of extreme ten
sion over the inaction and the failure
10 obtain tangible results Is succeeded
by revived confidence over the great
advance made toward permanent
settlement.
Wilson May Have Hastened.
How far these results are due td
the intimations conveyed by the sum.
moning to France Of the United
States transport George Washington
by President Wilson IS only conjec.
tural But 1t is at least coincidence
that the main difficulties began to dis.
solve from the time that his decision
became known.
The exact nature of these difficult
Ties are not disclosed Friends OF the
President maintain that they were
| largely of minor character, not in.
, volving large principles, though the
Presidents adherence to his fourteen
points" as the rigid limitation of the
scope OF action appears to have run
| all through the deliberations during
the tense period of the last few days.
! The Council OF Four also reached
an agreement on the Saar Valley.
The agreement leaves sovereignty
over the valley unchanged but ac-
cords TO France free of duty sufficient
coal for the Lorraine iron industry
| and TO replace the production Of the
| mines destroyed in the Lens mining
district, with the privilege TO tho Ger
mans of restoring the Lens mines. and
| thus relieving the Saar Valley of that
charge.
This agreement removes one Of tbs
most difficult obstacles 10 the conclu-
. sion of peace.
compromise on the kaisep,
The agreement on RESPONSIBILITIES
for the war is understood TO have been
compromise between divided reports
presented by the commission OF which
secretary Lansing Is chairman. There
was practical agreement on the gem
| eral responsibility of the German EN-.
peror for bringing on the war. but
division occurred on whether it WIS
feasible to bring him 10 justice before
an international tribunal.
The French and British view ia
vored n tribunal. but the American
! view. 1t is understood, favored moral
| Indictment without recourse 10 prose-
cution, owing TO the lack of an inter.
, national law as "A basis for trial bs-
! fore an international court
| Belgium, on which the war fell nrse
and heaviest is reported to have taken
view much similar to that of tho
United States, while Japan and Italy
were partly in accord with the Amsrt-
can view.
Full Finding Not DISCLOSED,
1t was owing TO these divergent
viewpoints that the council devised a
new plan. whereby one OF the allied
nations. probably Belgium, would ini-
tiate prosecution against the abdi-
Gated Emperor and others responsible
| for the breach OF treaties. the invasion
of territory and the destruction d.
rected against this country and lea6-
, Ing to more general spread of tho
war The exact nature Of the agrees
ment is not disclosed. but the foreso-
| ing In believed to cover the main lines.
Tho text as finally approved on repa-
rations specifies that the enemy countries
must admit responsibility for all loss
and damage 90 allied and associated ma
tions and their citizens caused by tho
unjustnable aggression. But In view OF
! the inability of the enemy countries fully
| to recompenss these losses. the clause
states. an interallied commission Will
assess the losses on a tust basis for
| thirty years, beginning May /, 1921. with
an initial payment OF S5.00O.oO0,o
Germany Is 10 pay tho entire cost ~
the commission and stan during tho
thirty years OF operations. The first
payment is TO he credited against Ger
many's obligation TO pay for the main
tenance of the allied troops in the oc-
lGupisd zeospHs and -ahe sseoaES ,pyisztts