The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-04-18
SAYS HUNS MUST
PAY FULL COSTS

l. Germany should be made to pay to
the last franc for the wanton damage
she wrought in Northern France, and
also the cost Of the war, Lieut.. Maurice
Boyer, Of the French high commission,
told members OF the Chamber Of Com
merce at a luncheon Friday noon. Pro-
testations of the Germans that attempt
Of the allies to exact excessive tnden1nl-
ties would precipitate Bolshevism, were
branded as utter rot and lies trunped
W for the occasion.
THE Germans are simply trying to
blackmail the allies with this threat OF
B~olshevism," said Lieut.. Boyer, There
are undercurrents of Bolshevism in
every country-even in your country
and the Germans are simply letting
their Bolshevists come to the fore to
intimldate the peace conference. Mark
my statement, that when the peace
terms have been formulated and pre-
scented to Germany. she Will sign, re-
CARELESS of how severe they may be,
And when the treaty has been signed
Bolshevism will disappear from Ger
many. The leaders Of Germany will.
prefer any sort Of terms with the allies
to BoIshevism."
Lieut.. Boyer offered to wager that
no matter how much the peace con-
ferees may demand of Germany in pay
ment for her aggression, they will re"
greet in 10 years that they did not ask
for more. Germany Is not bankrupt,
nor PROSTATE, he said, and viii sur
prise the world in her ability to pay.
French Debt Heavy.
"Of course, 1t may 60 hard with the
Germans to pay what they should pay"
said Lieut.. Boyer, but then 1t went
hard with the French to lose what the
Germans destroyed and the huge sum
which it was necessary to spend on the
war"
Speaking of what the war had cost
Frence, the French officer estimated
the total at $50, 400, 900, 900, 1t had In
creased the per capita tax in France
to $40 In 1917, as compared to the
American tax of 50 Per capita in
1916. OF the debt which the wal heaped
on France, S., 400, 000, 900 Is money owed
to her allies, the United States and
England To pay interest on this huge
national debt and to give pensions to
war widows, orphans and crippled aol-
diers would require an after war budget
annually Of $4,000, 000, 900. which is over
three times the prewar figure.
Fifteen billions will have to be spent
rehabilitating the region destroyed Dy
the German occupation, he said. Among
other things, the Germans destroyed
800, 900 acres OF forests, dismantled
or RACED &c, 900 mills. producing 80 per
cent OF the industrial output OF france,
| destroyed 95 out of 127 French blast
furnaces; wrecked 900 steel mills and
flooded mines employing 100000 men
and producing 0 200. 900 tons Of coal
annually.
1t will take years to repair the agri.
cultural and industrial wreckage, he
said.
Lieut.. Boyer is on the last leg Of
a tour of the United States, which took
him from Washington to San Fran
cisco. He came to Memphis from New
Orleans and leaves Friday afternoon for
Washington. He Is a financial expert,
and when he entered the army w2s
secretary of a great investment banh
in Parts. After a trip home he expects
to return to America and make his
home III New York. He has been of
fered several very fine opportunities
in this country, he said.
Lieut.. Boyer wears the gold stripes.
indicating long service at the front,