Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-04-04


eminent OF Germany to reach an accord
with the governments of the allied and
/ associated powers and II is sincere in its
purpose to meet their requirements as
far as possible. That an agreement was
not reached at q conference at London
on the question Of repsrajions is a mat
/ ter Of extreme regret to the government
+ Of Germany. In their efforts to reach
a nagreement the delegates from Germany
! went far beyond the limitations consid-
cred possible for Germany in the Judg-
ment Of an overwhelming majority OF
! her economic experts.
1T has been asserted that Germany ia
/ reluctant TO recognize her obligation 10
make separations. This is not correct. 1t
is entirely clear, not only to the gov
eminent Of Germany, but to the German
people also. that Germany must make
reparation to the limit Of her ability to
pay.
/ RESPONSIBLE CIRCLES
| FAVOR RESTORATION.
This realization on the part Of Ger
many Will not be altered IN any way by
4 any changes which may take place in
/ the internal politics Of the country. Fv-
/ cry responsible group, particularly the
workmen Of Germany, are imbued with
! the determination 10 do all that lies In
I
regions which have been devastated Fun
Z damental TO this determination Is the sober
/ conviction on the part Of responsible cir
J Giles IN Germany that an early removal
/ Of all traces of the devastation caused
I in France Is TO the best interest Of Ger
/ many. II is the consensus Of opini ~
/ also that the proposals made by Germany
/ in regard to reparation must consider
! fully the financial necessities Of the al
I lied and associated governments and par
/ ticularly Of France.
In view OF the foregoing, two con
siderations in regard to the reparations
! present themselves both Of which are
( important These considerations are,
| first, the matter Of rehabilitation Of the
/ devastated regions and. second. the i'm
mediate establishment by Germany OF an
actual sum Of cash money In foreign
exchange Of important proportions
In addressing ourselves to the first
| particular, namely, the rehabilitation Of
the devastated regions, certain facts are
at once apparent. For four years ten
OF the e.ghtysix departments Of France
served as the theater Of the war and
sustained the severest blows OF the con
| fict In these ten departments num-
Der of cities, towns and villages are either
/
stretches Of fertile farming laid waste
| Only a little has been accomplished to-
ward the rebuilding Of homes, the reoc-
cupation and the recultivation Of the
land, IN the two years that have elapsed
since the ending Of the war.
HUN OFFERS
NOT ACCEPTED.
"For the immediate rehabilitation OF
these devastated regions, Germany has
repeatedly proffered labor. technical ad-
| vice and material assistance. These
offers have not been accepted, nor have
they even reached the point Of diplomatic
exchange
1.-The reason is not far to seek. Pecu-
| liar though 1t may seem, there exists
/ In France only a limited degree of con-
/ Germ for the rehabilitation Of the devas-
tated region. Advance indemnities have
been given to the former occupants of
| the soil and these occupants have removed
to other parts of the county and taken
up their abodes there. The salvaging
Of the abandoned war materials and the
cleaning up Of the war aseas has been
undertaken by influential groups of proA
motors who are making no effort to ex-
pedite the performance of their contracts.
| The fact that influential opinion In
France sees in the devastated region a
remarkable opportunity for a political
I agitation which will always make a deep
| impression in the minds Of the people of
| France and on foreigners has an i'm
| portant bearing on the issue.
! The Government does not desire to
see hate perpetuated between nations. In
accordance with this purpose, it intends
to submit fresh proposals on this sub
| ject to the government Of France, the
/ details of which are now under consid
Grafton and the subject of discussion
with the laborers Of Germany. Should
| the government Of France entertain OBJ
! jections to the employment Of numbers
| Of German laborers in the areas under
going reconstruction, the government OF
! Germany stands ready to offer to France
! good offices and resources In whatever
form is acceptable.
"In respect Of the second considera-
| ton, namely, the immediate establish
ment by Germany of an actual sum Of
cash money in foreign exchange of i'm
| pOrtant proportions, 1t is obvious that
! Germany can fulfill this obligation only
| through large increases in the volume
Of her exports. The memoranda prepared
! by the economic experts of Germany for
use at the conference at London demon
strated how huge this increase In Ger
manys exports necessarily would be II
| great sums of money were thereby to be
obtained and the menace this great in
crease would imply to the economic life
Of other countries. Conceding even this,
| 1t further remains that the sums in cash
required could not be Immediately re-
allied.
DISCUSSES OTHER
/ CONSIDERATIONS
'Other considerations have been ad-
vanced at various times among them
the proposal that our former opponents
in the great war should participate in the
returns from German industry, either
through taking shares Of the capital
stocks Of German companies or by other