The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-02-03
OTHER DISARMAMENT
WILL BE THEN SOUGHT
SINGLE FINANCIAL
FRONT FOR ALLIES
Is Suggested By Signor of Italian Peace
Mission, the Money to Come from
a Universal Tax aud Ger
man Indemnity.

Paris, Sunday, Feb. (by the Associ-
ated Press).-A universal tax, the pro-
ceeds of which would be put into COM
mon fund along with the indemnitiee
Germany should be made to pay, is pro
posed by Senior Crespi, Of the Italian
delegation to the peace conference, in the
proposition he has made for the estab-
lishment of a single financial front" for
the allies. The tax would furnish inter
est ON that portion Of the debts Of the
allies which Germany had not paid and
provide sinking fund for ultimately
cauceling the debts.
Senior Crespi, who said his proposal for
single allied financial front had been
well received by allied ministers, de
clared that his great point was that the
central empires as whole must be
forced TO compensate the allies for the
war damages they have suffered. Re
sponsibility was collective, he said, and
all the enemy states would have to pay
in proportion to their wealth.
"On the other hand all the allies
have suffered immense losses and they
must all benefit from the indemnitfes
which the enemy is to pay. Each one
should receive in proportion to the ef-
fort it has made. Thus, smaller states
that have spent more than larger ones
in comparison TO their wealth ought to
receive larger indemnities in proportion.
absolute fairness ought to be pre-
served in the division of indemnities.
"The simplest way to carry out the ae-
tual distribution would be to put the en-
tire fund into common pool which
could be periodically apportioned among
the different nations. The fund should
be augmented by taxes of a universal
character levied on all states, enemy, al
lied or neutral, the last named having
benefited from the sacrifices made by
the allies. Such taxes might be levied
on exports and imports and also on coal
and raw materials. It Seems to me only
fair that countries which have benefited
and even grown rich, through the suffer
ing and sacrifice of the allies should be
made to help compensate the allies. Such
a tax would not weigh more heavily on
one state than on another, since IL would
be universal. II would merely have the
effect of raising prices on some certain
particular products in all countries alike
"The enemy should be forced TO pay eli
as soon as possible the allies debts. The
international tax would furnish interest
on the rest and a sinking fund for pay
ing it off eventually, In my opinion the
enemy ought to be allowed to pay, not
only in gold, but in raw materials aud
finished products Part Of their debt
might be covered by bonds, which they
would take up gradually in exchange for
goods delivered to the allies.
"The supply of .aw materials is an,
other important question to be consid,
cred. If they are furnish to enemy
countries at the same time and the same
prices as to the allies, the Austrians and
| Germans, whose industrial plants have
not been destroyed and who arc ready
to return to a peace basis in their pro,
duction more rapidly than the allies
would reach foreign markets quicker and
under better conditions than would bC
possible for the allies, This we must
avoid at ali costs. |, therefore, propose
| that distribution Of raw materials be in.
/ ternatiOnally controlled in such way
that allied countries may be served be.
/ fore enemy countries.
! can important question involved i.
| that of the length of the working day. A
days labor in Germany before the wal
was very long. If it continues 80 now
they win be able to produce more cheap.
/ ly than we can. Therefore, international
laws on this question have become es
sential.
Another problem is that Of exchange
between different nations. To cite an
example, my own country, when peace
is re-established, will have to import
very largely to repIenish depleted stocks
/ This will have a disastrous effect on oul
money unless the states control ex
change. l, therefore, consider that the
present state control of import and ex.
! port trade must continue for some time.