The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-04-15
2O,000,000,00O
MARKS WITHIN
NEXT Z YEARS
COMMISSION SET UP
AS ADMINISTRATION
Germany VIII Be Forced to
Pay Cost of the War Up
to Her Ability.

PARIS. April 14.-(By the ASsoc'atcu
Press)-One hundred billion gold
marks is the amount Germany must pay
the allied and associated governments
for losses and damages caused by the
war, plus other billions TO be deter
mined BY a special commission on which
Germany Is 10 be represented.
This is the final and definite conclu-
sion which has been reduced TO writ
ing after weeks Of deliberation which
took a wide range and involved further
changes, and notifications The payment
Of the l00, ,00n. DOT. 900 gold marks Is 10
he divided into three distinct amounts
as follows:
First. twenty billions within TWO
yes.
Second. forty billions during thirty
years. beginning in 1921.
Third. forty billions when a commits
sion shall determine how it shall DC
done.
To Eaue Commission.
Tn view Of the fluctuations through
which the negotiations have passed, an
authoritative statement was obtaineo
today concerning the final terms OF the
settlement This sums up the conoi-
tions as follows:
Germany is at the outset held gener-
ally responsible for losses and damages
in accordance with President wilson's ;
fourteen points and the allied response
at the time the armistice was conciuo-
cd. To determine the extent of the pay
ment under this responsibility com
mission is set up to take testimony. as
semblc data and arrange all details OF
the payments from the enemy and dis
tribution among the allied and associat-
cd powers.
While the commission Will administer
the details Of the payments, sufttctsrt
Is known to permit the determtnacon
that an initial payment will be required
OF twenty billion gold marks, payable IN
two years without interest. It has also
been determined that forty billion Soic
marks shall be payable in bonds extend
ing over a period of thirty years. be-
eininr in 1891. with a sinking fund De-
ginning in 1926.
Must Deliver Bonds.
This forty billion bonds draw two
and one-half per cent interest from
1921 to 1926 and hvc per cent interest
after 1926.
In addition to the foregoing payments
Germany also will be required to de-
liver additional bonds for forty billion
marks when the commission determines
that this shall be done. These three
payments Of twenty. forty and forty BILL
lions bring the total to one hundred bill
lion gold marks
Beyond this total the cnnuissiou Is
empowered to fix anything further that
may be required to cover GerTnany's in
debtcdness.
IN other words" concluded the eni-
ncnt American authority who framed
the terms and furnished the foregoing
summary, "a commission Is set up with
power TO collect from Germany to the
utmost Of her capacity to pay. within
the limit OF her indebtedness
1t is in the gold mark that all pay
ments are expressed in the final terms.
This excludes deprecated paper marks
and fixes the standard Of payment In
gold. The gold mark is worth about the
same as the English shilling and before
the war was quoted at 1882 American
cents.
The allotment Of the 100. o.ooe. 900. 600
among the allied and associated powers
has not yet been finally decided but
tentative arrangement makes the allot-
nent of France about fifty-hve percent
Of the total, Great BHtain's allotment
between twenty and thirty percent and
the allotment Of the United States be-
tween two and five percent.
terms, whereby Germany Is held re-
sponsiblc reads substantially as follows:
THE allied and associated powers az
firm and Germany admits responsibility
for all losses and damages Of the allied
and associated governments and their
nationals from the unjusttfiable warfare
waged by tho enemy power against the
allied and associated governments"
Then follows q provision for the com
mission on payments and extended de-
tails of the operations of the commits
sion.