The New York herald., 1921-03-04
The Indemnify Question.

AnC AnuCAuAiAy SASoskcAf.
I If the digest which the Allies have
given out OF the counter indemnity
proposal OF the Germans is ut all
accurate DAVID LLOYD GEORGE Is JUS
titled in calling 1t mockery. II the
Germans have calculated the amount
they offer to pay with one set of
swollen figures, but the amount that
would honestly cancel that debt with
an entirely different and smaller set
Of figures, there is much excuse for
the Allies to charge bad faith against
them and there is ground for the gem
erul opinion that the proposal is i'm
pudent as well as insincere.
But, when all Is said and done,
what the Germans have offered or how
they have offered 1t does not deter
mine the one thing which must be de-
termined for a settlement that will
bear the test OF reason and make for
the peace OF the world That one
thing is, What can the Germans pay
without breaking7 What the Allies
have answered, or how they may back
up their answer with arms, does not
determine 1t. And, as THE New YORK
HERALD has been saying, that one
thing must be determined before the
Allies can know what they can get
out of the Germans, whether by per-
suasion or by pressure.
How can Ii be determined? Ger
tainly 1t cannot be determined by
military invasion. 1t can be deter
mined, however, by disinterested
third party, acting as arbiter Of the
facts. This Is the suggestion of THE
NEW York HERALD, and il anybody,
Ally, German or neutral, has better
or more practical suggestion It has
not yet seen the light of day.
Certainly the programme of en-
forcement announced by DAVID LLOYD
GEORGE to 90 into effect IL the Ger
mans do not accept by Monday the
Allies arbitrary demands without
change by so much as the crossing of
It" or the dotting Of an ~ prom
ises nothing of substantial results.
He says it will mean: occupation OF
Duisberg, the Ruhr district and DIS
seIdorf: levying an equitable tax on
all German exports to the Allies and
establishment of customs line along
the Rhine. Can anybody imagine that
such a programme as that would
make dent on sixty millions of peo-
pie? And as for financial returns,
all the indemnity the Allies could
ret In that way would scarcely make
Jingle In their international cash
drawer.
Arbitration can do better than that,
hundredfold. When THEODORE
ROOSEVELT President of the United
States, brought the Russians and Jap
anese together in what was in effect
proposition of arbitration their war
came to an end abruptly, the terms
OF peace we're fixed for the two ma
lions, and they went hack TO their
work and their debt paying.
What was good for Russia and
Japan cannot be bad in impartial
opinion for the Allies and Germany.
There are situations when men in
the bitterness of their feelings are
not themselves capable Of working
out such a problem as this. When
powerful French official close to
! Premier BRAND, In response to the
suggestion Of an arblter to find
out the limit Of German capacity TO
pay. cries out: That's crazy; there
has been enough negotiation; for
France the amount now stands i'm
movablev' II Is apparent that under
such stress such people are not fit to
bring about a sound settlement
Not merely does a neutral Holland.
on tho other hand, deprecate military
enforcement OF the Allies "immova-
BILE" terms, but italy, herself one OF
the Allies, opposes such abrupt meas
ures of force. Italy's losses OF men,
wealth and economic power from Ger
man and Austrian arms we're as
st and irreparable as those of any
nation In the terribly destructive war.
But Italy, while insisting that Ger
many must pay all she can pay within
reason and safety, holds aloof from
military coercion.