The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-04-18
SMALL NATIONS
ARE DISSATISFIED
Distribution Of Indemnity Funds Is
a Troublesome Question That Will
Be Difficult to Adjust.


Be Difficult to Adjust.
Paris. April 15.-The problem of
PREPARATIONS settlements still has
troublous times before it in connec.
ton with the question OF the distri-
buting of the indemnity to be paid by
Germany. Smaller powers which suf-
fered under German invasion and de-
vastation are still to be heard rela-
tive to their shares Of the reparation
fund particularly Belgium, the claims
Of which are entitled to first consid.
Grafton under various pre-conference
pledges.
The tentative scheme of distribu
ton which Great Britain and France |
have advanced appropriates between |
so and 80 p C., probably So p. c. OF the |
total sum realized to the three pow
ers, leaving approximately Is per
cent to satisfy the demands of Bel |
GUM, Italy, Serbia, Roumania, Russia !
and others. This is a smaller proper
ton than the secondary powers ex'
pected and they are almost sure tot
be dissatisfied with it. 1t has been
suggested among the experts on the
reparations commission that Rumania
Serbia and other nations have receiy
ed reparations through the acquisi-
ton of territory but this reasoning
will scarcely appeal to Belgium.
A share of the rcparations fund
WILL according to the present under
standing be assigned to Russia for
damage to invaded Russian territor-
les, but will probably be turned over
to Great Britain and France to apply
on advances made to the old Russian
government during the war.
Although the contribution payable
by Germany are characterized as
reparations, a very considerable part
of the $4,000, 100000 viii not be avail.
able for reparation purposes. since it
has been assigned to the payment Of
the expenses of the armies of occupa-
ton and such food supplies as must
be furnished Germany. Since the oc-
cupation OF the left bank OF the Rhine
will continue during the entire two
years covered by this first payment,
. the expenses. particularly of the
French occupational army, viii eat
\ deeply into the 5,OO0,0OO,O0O. No an
nouncement has yet been made re-
garding the precise definition of the
varied "categories" OF PREPARATIONS.
In other words. there is no definition
, OF the classes of damages for which
Germany is required to pay. 1t can
be stated, however, that the five
"categories" adopted comprise repara
J ton for actual damage to life and
property; pensions for cripples and
the families Of slain soldiers; com
pensation for enforced labor exacted
of inhabitants OF occupied regions,
including work done by deported Bel
\ gians remuneration for illegally OK.
= acted labor by prisoners Of war, and
payments for German acquisitions in
occupied territories. II is understood
that no offset has been allowed Ger.
. many for the maintenance of prison
ers Of war in Germany during the
war. the associated governments hold
ing that the prisoners were chiefly
supported at their own expense
\ through food parcels. by which alone
2 the prisoners were able TO maintain
B existence during captivity, and that
the prisoners performed for Germany
Although members Of the commits
! sion regard the PREPARATIONS question
J as settled in the main, there are
\ various details to he worked out. in
, Guiding scheme for German contri
buttons of labor, raw materials and
/, manufactured articles for the restor
alton Of devasted districts. Discus
\ sion at meetings Of the commission
, have been marked by a shifting ten