Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-04-05
INDEMNITY
URGENTLY
DEMANDED
BY ALBERT
''If Belgium Is, to Live the
Council Must Act" Gist
Of Kings Message to
Allied Leaders.
BY The Associated Press.


Paris, April 4-Marshal Foch is
expected to arrive from Spa to-
morrow.
No word has yet been received in
Paris regarding the negotiations with
the Germans over the proposal to
land Polish troops at Danzig.
Belgium's case has been laid be-
fore the peace conference by the
most distinguished advocate Belgium
could have chosen. King Albert has
been in Paris for the past three days
and in numerous conferences with
the representatives of the great pow
ers he has outlined the needs of his
country and told of the steps that
must be taken Immediately if Bel
gium is to be restored
Urges Quick Action.
King Albert has had long con-
versations with President Wilson.
Col. Edward M. House, Premier
Clemenceau and David Lloyd
George. These conversations led up
to his appearance before the council
of four today.
A member of the Belgian peace
delegation told the Associated Press
today that, shorn of all its diplo-
matte niceties, what King Albert
told the council might be sunlma-
rized thus:
The time ofpromises has passed.
If Belgium is to live the council
must act"
The Associated Press is able to
state that three questions of vital
immediate importance to the re-es-
tablishment of Belgium, financially,
economically and politically, were
discussed. The first question was
the immediate advance to Belgium of
about 10,000000,000 francs, the sec
ond the expectation to Belgium from
England and the United States of
raw materials, and the third the ces-
sion to Belgium of the left bank of
the L'Escaut river and the Lemberg
peninsula.
Avalanche of Marks.
The first item represents the value
OF German marksrle left in circulation
in Belgium. After the departure of
the Germans the ministry of finance
sent out an urgent call to holders OF
the marks to deposit them in the
banks. The amount was estimated
to be about 100000, 1000, and it had
been the governments intention to
redeem them at the par value of one
franc Is centimes. Belgium was not
prepared for the avalanche of marks
that resulted. Eight billion marks
passed through the banks windows
into the vaults. The banks were un-
able to redeem this amount of paper
and depositors were merely given
receipts, stating that certain
amount of marks were held to their
credit.
The payment of an immediate in
demnity by Germany was relied on
to cover payment for these deposits.
The indemnity this far has failed to
materialize.
Much Money Idle.
Depositors cannot draw against
these credits, with the result,
that some l0,000,000,000 francs are
idle, as the banks are paying no in
terest on such deposits.
The importation of raw materials
is said to be indispensable to the re-
trieving of Belgium from the econo-
mic standpoint.
The correspondent has just return
ed from an extended trip in Bel
gium. Everywhere he found in
vestors complaining of the situation
arising from the fact that while the
Americans and British permit ex-
portation into Belgium of manufac-
tured articles they thus far have
failed to export into Belgium raw
materials which would permit of in
dustries resuning work.