The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-03-08

CLAIM Of
DAMAGES
Has Only Figured Up to $780,
100000 So Far, but Will
Be Able to Increase
This.
FOR GERMANY TO PAY
Peace Conference Expected Before
End of Month with Hun
: Delegates Taking
Part.
FOR GERMANY TO PAY

United Press Leased Wire Service. ]
WASHINGTON, March S.-Ameri-
can claims for damages against Ger
many and Austria thus far total
$3.50 900 900, the state department an
nounced today. Additional claims
will Increase this to SON g extent, 1t
was stated.
The claims have been filed with
the state department by American
citizens and concerns. They cover
the following:
Death and injury from submarine
warfare; destruction and damage to
American vessels from submarines
losses Of American cargoes In both
American and foreign bottoms; loss
or value Of personal property and
destruction and requisition of Ameri.
can property by Germany and Aus
tria-Hungary in enemy territory and
territory occupied by enemy forces.
At the outbreak of the war, Ameri-
can owned property in enemy and in
vaded territory totalled about $780,
O00, 900. >
American claims in number ran
well into the thousands, the state de-
partment said They will be sub
mitted in a formal statement for
reparation by Germany and Austria
Hungary.
Arnistice Commission Busy.
BERNE, March s.-Rupture of
negotiations between the German and
allied economic commissions will not
affect the work Of the armistice COM
mission which are continuing their
conference, it was announced in a
dispatch from Berlin today.
1.-THE Germans broke off negotia-
tions with the allied economic com
mission after insistingathat the latter
must guarantee to furnish Germany
with enough food to last until the
next harvest, before Germany would
consent to surrender her merchant
fleet. This conference was entirely
distinct from the armistice commits
sion which deals with military prob
lens
Before End of Month.
PARIS, March 8.-LIntransigeant
predicted today that the first plenary
conference with the German dele
gates will be held in Versailles before
the end of this month.
The general conference will take
up ratification of the preliminary
peace March Is, the newspaper fore
cast, and the German plenipoten-
taries will be called in for an in.
formal conference about March 20
after which the plenary conference
will be held.
Germany Breaks Contract.
WASHINGTON, March S.--Ger.
many's refusal to turn over her mer-
chant ships for shipment home OF
American troops has aroused the
widest speculation and comment
among officials and diplomats here.
In the absence of details of her
action at Spa, officials here know only
that Germany has broken the con
tract her officials signed with Chair
man Hurley of the United States
shipping board, and other allied rep
resentatives last January to turn
over her merchantmen.
Possible motives for Germany's
action are believed to be:
First. her internal condition-par
ticularly as regards food-may be
such that her present government Is
afraid to turn over the vessels fol
fear of giving the Spartacans group
cry of protest
Second, the strong sailors coun.
ellis at GeTmany's ports may have
served notice on their governments
that the ships could not leave unless
they were manned by German sailors
(not provided in the contract Hur1ss
offered and had accepted), or,
Germany may be resorting to hei
old trickery and seeing discomfort
Continued on page 81