Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-03-03
Committee on Reparation Laid
Aside All Questions Except
Amount That Germany Can
Pay With Interest.
USE GERMAN PLAN OF
FRANCO-PRUSSlAN WAR
Claims of France, Belgium and
Other Seriously Damaged
Countries to Be Paid First
Probably in Cash.

BY Herbert Eayard Swopc.
(Staff Correspondent of Albuquerque
Journal and New York World)
Copyright, 1919, by the Press Pub
(The New York World)

fishing Co.
(The New York World)
Paris, March 2.-Politics was
showed aside in Importance by fl
nance last week. when it became
known that the reparations commit
tee of the peace conference had
reached tentative conclusion as to
the amount of dagames Germany is
able to pay Experts employed by
the international committee consld-
cred the question have come to u
preliminary understanding as to the
approximate assets possessed by the
central empires which are available
for the discharge of war Obligations.
May Be Forty Billions.
In round numbers the sam will fall
between twenty-five and forty bill
lion dollars with the final figure be-
ing probably in the neighborhood OF
thirty billions. / make this state
ment upon the highest authority, this
information being prompted by the
fact that the unsettled question OF
principle has given rise to distortions
and false rumors calculated to retatd
and arouse suspicious as to the work
of inquiry.
OF the total sum 10 be assessed
against Germany and her allies, part
is to be paid in cash or bonds imme-
diately, and part is to be deferred
over period of years, during which
the Teutons will be required to pay
interest, which will be set at sucn II
rate as to allow them the opportuhi-
ty to provide for sinking fund for
the amortization of the debt,
The present plan, which Is subject
to alteration, is to compel Germany
a Asat h tFprr a
S., 900, 900, 600, which she viii do BY
the utilization of part Of the li1uid
assets within the country and by
bond flotation to be absorbed In part
by the countries to which payments
go. In this the German precedent OF
the Franco-Prussian War will be fol-
lowed, when Germany was sub
scriber to the French indemnity loan.
VIII Ask Nations to Share.
America, Great Britain, France,
Italy and other countries will be asked
to take up part of the German issue,
which will be guaranteed by the me-
chanism to be set up in the form OF
an International reparation commits
sion.
| can say further that ii is highly
probable that the principle of pre-
ferred claims will be recognized
whereby the destruction suffered by
| France, Belgium, Italy. Serbia. and
Roumania where damage was caused
| by invasion will be settled first.
| 1t must be understood that the out
| line as given is yet to be formally
! approved by the fun reparations COM
mittee, after which 1t must go to the
| council Of ten for final hearing.
| In considering the matter of rep
aration the committee laid aside tho
question as to what reparation means,
| It was found that the controlling fac
| tor is Germany's ability to pay, and
so the discussion as to what sne
ought to pay-whether merely dam
ages, as America said, or damages
plus total war costs. as others insist
ed-because entirely academic. and
even if taken in the broadest sense
would have conferred a right without
a benefit
For the purpose of keeping the
| record clear this point is to be
agreed on later, but at present all ef-
fort is being bent to have all the COM
mittees report in time for the plenary
session, which is now set for March
s. The military section Of the peace
treaty will be ready by then. In
fact, the final draft is to be made
tomorrow for submission TO the coun-
ell on fflddy. lHSEt is ShuSNditlt'i
unanimity on the major clause with
certain reservations made by Amer
lea on the lines given in these des-
patches on such subjects as kiel, Hell
igoland and the German cables
Final action on the Rhine provinces
provides for their demilitarization.
but does not disturb German SOW
ereignty This does not apply to the
Saar valley. which France claims
outright and which is now being
studied by the territorial committee,
For the next ten DAYS the results
of the work will not appear above
the surface, but il viii continue fruit
fully. There is distinct t-to-geth-
er spirit to be noticed and the gospel
of give-and- take rules, At the close
of the hearing on Armenia, the rep
resentatives of that nation made II
plain that they would like America
to accept mandatory over the re-
stored country. but 1t was not re-
ceived with enthusiasm by our mis-
sion.
Alexander Gocs 10 Belgrade.
Paris, March 2.--Alexander. prince
| . l.,,r f.f ps,~i ~ie, lac ci