Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1919-04-23

Settlement Near, Says Wilson in
Official Bulletin.
APRIL Is SET BY BIG FOUR
Twenty-Five Billion in Gold and $780,
600 100000 in Bonds Decided as
Damages Boche Must Pay
for War.


Paris, April ia statement by
President Wilson in behalf of the
Council of Four says the questions of
peace are so near complete solution
that they will be quickly and finally
drafted.
The announcement was contained in
an official bulletin. which added that
the German plenipOtentiaries had been
invited to meet at Versailles on April
%.
The statement follows:
"In view of the fact that the ques-
tions which must be settled in the
peace with Germany have been
that they can now quickly be put
through the final process of drafting,
those who have been most constantly
in conference about them have decided
to advise that the German pleni-
potentiaries be invited to meet the
representatives of the associated bel
9igerent nations at Versailles on
April %.
'"Bhis does not mean that the many
other questions connected with the
general peace settlement viii be in
terrupted or that their consideration
which has long been underway, will
be retarded.
"On the contrary it is expected that
rapid progress will now be made with
those questions, so that they may also
presently be expected TO be ready for
final settlement.
at is hoped that the questions most
directly affecting Italy, especially the
Adriatic questions, can now be brought
to a speedy agreement
1.-THE Adriatic question will be
given for the time precedence over
other questions and pressed by con-
tinual study to its final stage
'The settlements that belong espe-
tally to the treaty with Germany will
in this way be got out of the way at
the same time that all other settle
ments are being brought to a com
plete formation.
ut is realized that though the
process must be followed, all the ques-
are parts of a single whole"
Indemnity Is Fixed.
One hundred billion gold marks
(S25.0 0OOO0OO0) is the amount Ger
many must pay the allied and associ-
ated governments for losses and dam
age caused in the war, plus other bill
lions to be determined by a special
commission on which Germany is to
be represented.
This final conclusion has been re
duced to writing after weeks of ne
gotiation which took Il wide range
and involved frequent changes and
notifications. The payment OF the
100000, 100000 gold marks is to be di-
vided into three amounts, as follows:
First, twenty billions ($5,000,000,
0O0) within two years.
Second. forty billions (S10G0O,00O.-
000) during 80 years beginning in 1921
Third, forty billions tS10000000,
OOO) when a commission shall deter
mine how it shall be done
Pay 100000 900 in Bonds.
Germany must pay the $5000,0oO,
600 before May l, 1921. She must
also issue Immediately to the allied
and associated governments $20,000,-
100000 of Understanding bonds.
The interest on the bonds until 1926
will be either ? or per cent and after
that date will be per cent.
The bonds will be payable in in
stallments during 10 years. They prob
ably will be kept in control of a cen
ISOLATED governments, so they shall
not be marketed in quantities sufficient
TO break the price.
The exact amount of the issue win
be determined later according to the
kind of money in which it must be
paid. If the money is marks, the sum
win be larger than S20,000OO0.000 at
the rate of exchange before the war,
but that is the general nominal sum.
The mixed commission of repre-
sentativeS of the allied and associated
goverL nents and of Germany, which
shall report before May 1, 1921. will
determine what additional damages
must be paid.
Indications are that the Germans
will be given opportunity to discuss
the peace terms before the congress-
but that no extended discussion win
be permitted, two weeks being suggest
ed as the limit for the sessions at Yer
sailles.