Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-02-08
Editorial Digest
The German Indemnity.

The whole question concerning the
German indemnity. says the Newark
News independently, is that which
was raised two thousand years ago
by Adams first son. when Cain said
unto the Lord: My punishment is
greater than 1 can bear" and the ma
iority of American newspapers. while
they make no effort to ignore the
mark of Cain. seem pretty well agreed
that the allies have loaded Germany
with more than the traffic can carry.
For the proposed export tax there lS
imoSt no pra Sc whatever. even from
those who think the reparationS just.
The Kansas City Star independently.
not altogether Sentimentally. de-
mands: "Why is it unreasonable to
ask Germany to pay annually an
an amount which is only "a fraction of
what other nations are having to pay
on her account. and which is not
much more than half AS much as the
French people must pay in taxes to
meet interest on the sum raised to re-
pei the German invason?'
That the period of forty-two years
of payments lis long and hard" the
Pittsburgh sun tdemocrat grants. but
ii recalls to its readers that sit is
fair to remember that it nearly paral-
lelS the period wherein the German
people paid out tremendous sums an
nually in preparation for the war
they have lost" Just" is the COM
ment of the Buffalo Express Gnde-
pendent republican,. with which the
Syracuse Post Standard trepublican)
agrees. though it suggests that the
wisdom of imposing a IL per cent tax
on exports is doubtful
The New York Post independently
and the New York Times independent
Il. nocratic) go a step further To
no It,tT ..r h., Ii... off ioy, to,
'ryaSnnahle' but for the Grass folly
of the tax: and the whole plan the
former thinks. would have been ac-
ceptcd without criticism except for
that unfortunate feature.
The Hartford Times (democratic)
condemns the ad Valorem tax on ex-
ports as 'wors" than ridiculous"
since it would force the debtors to
find some hitherto undiscovered means
of producing gold and the New York
Globe Independently asserts that be-
cause of the interests of the allied
countries it will have to be modified
sooner or later
The effect of the tax upon American
trade is not overlooked by the com
mentators. and the Springfield Repub-
lican Independently remarks that "to
say that the proposal should interest
American business men is to put the
case very moderately" The Brook
Syn Eagle independent democratic)
echoes this thought and adds that
among other "fallacious features of
allied policy operating "at the ex-
pense of American interests" is the
fact that il would control our own
financial relations with Germany
Considering the demands of the al
lies as a whole, the st. Louis Post
Dispatch independently finds them ex-
hibiting a lack of good faith. states
manship and sound judgment on the
part of the premiers' and INITIATED
with politics. revenge and ruthless
greed. The Minneapolis Tribune Gre
publican) complains that the allies
have not considered that they are con-
fronted with Il fact and not a the
ory, and adds that almost any econ
omist conversant with Europe knows
that such sum as fifty-six billions is
no. hing short OF breposterous -
The Chicago Tribune independent
republican, does not think the pre-
miers have any idea that Germany
will pay the amount in the long run"
nor that she can be compelled to pay
it," and the Columbia Is. c. State
(democratic) remarks that it has al
ready become evident that these
plans will not meet the approval of
the several allied nations" The St
Louis Star independently likewise
thinks it Uncomfortable" that a policy.
which it attributes to the blind OBJ
stinancy of France" and which would
wreck Europe, Will receive inter-
national support
Doubling that France hopes that
her defeated enemy will ever pay up
the st. Paul Pioneer Press (independ-
ent suggests that she expects to
hold the Rhineland forever and
that cit is more territory and not
money" that she really wants. The
Sioux City Iowa) Journal indepen-
dent) thinks the terms too severe"
and believes "they should be modi-
fed and the Memphis ews-Scimitar
independently considers $4,000, 000,-
900 to he a sum which Germany can
not possibly pay, and doubtless will
not attempt to pay" The Petersburg
Va) Index Appeal independently
tempers similar sentiment with the
condition unless Germany suffered
far less from the war and is far bet
ter off. economically than anything
established concerning her present
condition.
Instead of a step toward final read
justment of Europe's financial tang1e,
the Ithaca Journal News (independ-
ent) sees things worse than ever, for
"the supreme council does not settle
the reparations question" but rather
sit opens the way for more negotia-
tons and wrangling and further delay.