Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-04-29
What Germany Can, Must, Will Pay
[From the Literary Digest. ]

not be extracted If we take the last
sheet from our beds and the last
boot from our feet" But such elo-
quence does not affect American
editors, who in general agree that
Germany must pay, and can pay, and
will pay.
The Germans are reminded by the
New York World that the Allies
War-eXpenses are not included in
this bill. A bill including the total
expense might have reached figure
as high as $4,000, 100000, accord
ing to some calculations. Nor are
there any punitive damages such as
the Germans levied against the
French in 1871. The World reminds
the rest of us that the only guaranty
for the ultimate collection of these
S25, 200, ,000,000 from Germany must
lie in a League of Nations" which
could settle all differences about
settlements and could Immediately
enforce an economic blockade in
case Germany should prove recalcit-
rant" Moreover, says the World:
I'm order for the German govern
ment to pay either in full or in part,
it is evident that the blockade must
be lifted as soon as possible and the
German people allowed to go to
work. German industries must have
raw materials. German manufac-
turers must have access to foreign
markets. TO retard the economic
rehabilitation of Germany will be to
deprive the tens of thousands of in
dividual victims of German military
destruction of the compensation to
which they are entitled and without
which they will remain impoverished
for life. This is not a matter of JUS
tice to the Germans, but of justice
to everybody concerned; for $685.
100000 is not picked from the
bushes along the roads. 1t must be
earned by economic production"
The New York Sun agrees with
writer's we have quoted that Ger
many has sufficient resources to set
aside two or three billion dollars a
year for payment on indemnity, tho
in the meantime it will be necessary
for her to shelve her own domestic
war-debt, amounting to some $685.
900, 100000. But in the Suns opin-
ion, "the question is not, could Ger
many pay the $26,000,000,000 or
more, but would she pay it," The
Sun is confident that any one who
really understands the German nat
ure, who knows Germany's economic
situation, and can weigh her trade
future, will conclude that Germany
will be very glad to pay the announc-
ed reparation, will be very glad to
pay any reparation that she is able
to pay" Germany needs the worlds
markets, and until she signs the
treaty of peace, not merely accepting
its terms but fulfilling them," she
can not get into those markets
"either to buy or to SELL" Indeed,
Nobody knows better than Ger
many that the very peace treaty,
with the gigantic reparation to be
paid, is going of necessity to put
Germany back into the markets of
the world. The Allies themselves
must put her there so that she can
pay them. Then, once she is back
| in the markets of the world, is get
ting her material from them. and
is sending it back again as the finish
ed product from her industries to
Great Britain, to France, to Italy.
and to other countries in payment or
her war-debts to them, Germany, as
she. thus cuts her international debts
lower and lower, will be rising year
after year higher and higher to the
economic power she possessed and ex-
| ercised before she went forth TO war