Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-05-17
HUN EXPORT TRADE
| BIG PEACE FACTOR
Entente Faces Two Deadly
Possibilities In Making
Germany Pay Debt.
TREATY IS STILL SECRET
ny JOHN r. BASS.

bu6HtS ~ SbteS SeSss@s
ny JOHN r. BASS.
CnbleGram to The Evening star and
Chicago Daily News. Copyright. 1919.
PARIS, May 16.-Certain public mis-
understandings of clauses in the
treaty concerning payments by Ger
many can now be cleared up. The
synopsis Of the treaty issued to the
public is insufficient in this as in
other respects. The text Of the treaty
10 still held secret. Why this 10 done,
when the acceptance Of the treaty by
Germany practically binds nations to
terms of which they are ignorant
since parliaments will hesitate to
overthrow the laborious work of the
conference when the treaty once Is
signed for fear Of upsetting the sta
bility of the goyernment-is not ap-
parent. This continuance of the sys-
tenn of secrecy from the beginning of
the conference has proved the real
weakness of the American position.
Admits She Should Pay All.
Germany Is to acknowledge that she
should pay all the losses of the allied
governments due to the war, but ow-
ing to the fact that she is unable to
do this, she must pay for damage to
the civilian population or their prop
erty by acts Of war.
Under this head, by an elastic proc
ess. pensions are included. The $25.-
oo0.000.000 Of the bond issue for the
payment OF damages il only prelimi-
, nary to decision dssas being rssehsd by
matter. No final figures have been
established for the damages. partly
Tor politica! reasons and partly be-
cause the total figures are not at
ever: is aba to estimate that the
total damag& would ultimately rise
to $4,000. 100000 and perhaps &55..
oo0.00o.000. 1t was not determined
that thirty years would sunice for
however. that after the first payment
Of $4,000. 0o0,0 Germany when re-
established would be required to pay
between $1,000. 100000 and $4,000. oo0,-
900 a year.
There are only three ways in which
. country can pay its foreign debts
with gold, with exported goods and
with foreign securities. The first pay
ment by Germany will absorb ali her
foreign securities and credit,
Foreign Trade Results.
Before the war Germany imported
about 100000. 900 marks $3.50 200. oo0)
up the difference BY the tourist trade
and other devices. The chances Of
making Germany pay depend upon
her reducing imports and increasing
exports. This involves the question
Ing to work FOR the allies and make
the necessary sacrifices. The allies
face at once two deadly alternatives
Either Germany must be permitted
to build up large export trade which
VIII eat into the export trade Of the
allied nations or the allies will not
get the expected damages from Ger
many.
Even now the question Of aermapy's
payments OF damages is becoming an In
ternal political matter in France and
England. A. time goes on. the political
aspect OF this question will Increase
enormously in Importance. Since Amer
fc4 10 represented on the commission Of
seven nations for handling the debt that
become involved in the internal political
situation Of our allies and friends. Since
our claims are relatively small there
seems to be no valid reason why we
should Be mixed up In this matter from
Long-Drawn-out Affair.
The endorsement Of the treaty is 60
affair at best. 1t IL perfectly natural
that when Germany defaults in her pay
ments the political men in the allied
countries. rather than advocate the nee
essary taxation Of their own people,
should resort to economic expedience,
such as the control Of the German Gus
toms, railroads and manufacturing
units. Such devices have already been
advanced by France.
II the governments and peoples had
been prepared for or were willing to
create league Of nations which was
really a world confederation our active
participation in all the administrative
functions of the confederation would
have been q logical outcome. But the
league Of nations has been drafted to
preserve the sovereignty Of each nation
intact and carefully separate the sphere
OF American influence through recogni-
ton OF the Monroe doctrine. Besides,
the league carefully refrains from par
ueipating in the political and admins
1t would seem that our own Interior
ence in European matters under the
terms OF peace ought to have definite
limitations. A line might we'll have been
drawn in the limitations of the league
to prevent our participation In admins
fr4dve matters which do not directly
concern our continent and which involve
the internal political conditions of each
country in Europe. In other words. the
peace terms. a. far as We know, consti-
htute q complex intermingling Of the
Joint administrative and political func-
ftions OF European government which the
Ieose structure Of the league Of nations
seems unfit to control.