The New York herald., 1921-04-14

Viviani's address were Frank ID. Pavey,
vice-president Of the Alliance Francaise;
Capt. Fl. Gloster Armstrong, British
Consul-General in New York; George
w. Wickersham, Justice John Proctor
Clarke. Ambassador Jusserand, Major
Gen. II. r. Bethel. Military Attache Of
the British Embassy, representing AM
bassador Geddes; Rear Admiral IA.
Mol. Huse. u s. ~. commanding the
Third Naval District; President James
r. Angel Of Yale, James w. Gerard.
Frank A. Munsey, Col. f. w. Gaibraith.
Jr.. national commander OF the Ameri-
can Lagion: NJ CASTOR Liebert. French
Consul-General IN New York; Gen.
Charles H. Sheriff., Henry s, Pritchett.
Frederick r. Coudert. Brig. Oliver
b. Bridgman, former Justice Francis K
Pendieton. William Harmon Black,
Capt. de Corvette Guinot Paul ID.
Cravath. Snowden A Fahnestock. DIR.
Thomas Fell. Elbert Fl. Gary. Otto III.
Kahn, Arthur Knowlson, president OF
the Canadian Club; DIR. George r. Kunz,
Adolph Lewisohn, Col. Henry D. Linds-
ley, William Fellowes Morgan, De Lam
cey Nicoll, former Judge Alton B.
Parker. George Foster Peabody. Mark
sheldon, High Commissioner for Aus
tralia; Dr. b. Stepanek. Minister Pleni-
potentiary OF Czecho-Slovakia Henry
w. Taft and Martin sogel.
Hard Situation in France.
The situation is terrible and graves
SAID M. Vivlani "We have known the
horrors OF war Now we are experience
Ing the complexities of peace. In war.
u the duty Is tragicai, 1t is, however
simple. II Is victory or death. In peace
the question is more complex, and many
roads are open 10 our minds. Then It
becomes a. question OF victory without
death; a question of where one must
conquer, but not de-
M. viviani then briefly sketched the
history OF Frances five invasions in the
last 100 years and asked:
IT our dead could again stand up
what would they feel to learn that they
had died in vain? Vergnaud, announc-
ing the victory that gave us the new
republic said: Many good citizens have
died in order that others might Iive'
To-day, after many more have fallen we
nave 10 ask In less eloquent way II
any more must fall.
We are asked about the capacity of
Germany to pay. | have come to the
Intelligent American people to present
some plain facts. Don't think we have
not taken into account the capacity of
Germany. We know Germany's capacity
to pay and we are going to act to make
her pay. We didn't dishonor ourselves
In the war and we are not going to in
the peace. Thanks to your America we
were not victims in the war, and we are
not to be victims In the peace
Presenting M Viviani and outlining
Frances claims for restitution and
reparatfons DIR. Butler said:
W1-be praaaut ryal,o - %ho ..-.--
est amount which it has been suggested
that Germany should be called upon to
pay--its present value at reasonable
rate OF interests about $40, 900, 900 900,
OF which Franco is to get some SO per
cent. or, in round numbers. S10,50O. .0OO.-
600. But they say, Look at the interest.
You are proposing that this payment
shall be extended over forty-two years
and shall carry interest, and by adding
the interest to the present value very
large and appalling large sum is pro-
duced.
But the man with 100000 mort
gage on his property payable In fifty
years. at per cent. interest, does not
go about saying that he has a mortgage
OF saoo.000 on his property. He knows
the difference between the present and
the future value, and the whole world,
particularly the American world, has
been misguided and nisled as to the
amount OF the reparation fixed by the
commission, because they have been
asked to think of Il in terms of principal
plus forty-two years accumulated in
terest. But there ere two ways of look
ing at these matters.
II We are going to figure interest in
that way against France, suppose we
fgure interest another way for France.
In 1879 Germany imposed upon France
payment of $1,000, 900, ,O0O.I without
any corresponding loss of its own terri
tory or property, simply as a war in
demnity. At per cent. that 81, 600, 000,-
600 would now be worth TO France sfe.-
000,00O.o 600.
IF we figure against France to fix
the amount of her obligation in the pub
lie mind, let's figure interest for France
in calculating what she paid to Ger
many"