The New York herald., 1921-03-04

no figures for Italy and have not given
the whole figures for Great Britain.
have simply taken these as samples Of
the destruction which took place. There
Is the destruction OF millions of tons of
mercantile shipping. Great Britain Is
more dependent on it's shipping and navy
than any other country, and II had
100000 tons sent TO the bottom Of the
sea.
This summary would be incompletc
without reference to the still more po.g-
nant and devastating loss inflicted In the
allied countries by the killing or the
crippiing Of multitude Of young, vigor-
GUS men In the prime OF tl,oir strength.
France lost 100000 killed, and has to
pay 100000 persons pensions. Tha
British Empire lost 100000 killed ana
crippled. and those drawing pers;oas
number 100000. have not by me the
figures for Italy and Belgium. These
casualties represent not merely loss to
these countries OF real strength AMI
capacity of wealth and production, bu.
q heavy annual burden on the resources
OF these countries to maintain the de-
pendents the crippled and the manned
who are unable to earn living them
selves.
German Losses Much Smaller.
France alone and Great Britain alone
in this respect each bears an annual
burden which Is almost three times the
amount of the whole annual payments
now offered by Germany to meet the
claim for reparations and damages Of
all kinds
Germany no doubt has suffered from
the war. but in loss OF life It Is not COM
parable In proportion to the population
as that sustained by France, and as to
material damage, the devastation In
east Prussia is trivial compared to that
inflicted In France.
with all this gigantic injury. what Is
now offered France. staggering under
the load of the expenditures cast on her
by her war debt and by this .wanton de-
struction which made her richest prov
inees hideous wilderness of ruins and
despair. and with an urgent need to re-
build her shattered homes and to re-
store the factories. which are the sole
means of livlihood for the poor people
who endured five years of the horrors
OF war In their devastated provinces
and with her enormous pension liabii-
ties added 70 the rest?
What Is offered Great Britain, with
her gigantic debt and Npension list in
CURED in enforcing the treaty which her
King signed with the King Of Prussia.
but which was broken by the latters
descendants? What Is offered? Not
one-fourth of the sum required to repair
the damage. and that only on condition
that those needing it most find it out OF
their own pockets first on highly privi-
legged terms. when they can with diff
Guilty raise money In their own markets
to carry on essential work of their Gov
ernment What is the offer? / cannot
understand the psychology which per-
mits the representatives of the country
whose Government was responsible tor
the most devastating war the world has
ever seen to come solemnly with such
terms to a conference with representa-
tives of the countries who have been
the victims OF that devastation. Had
the German Government come here with
a proposal indicating sincere desireSto
discharge its obligations. we would have
given the fairest and most patient con-
sideration to IL. If 1t had said. Forty
two years is too long period If it had
said, A levy of 12 per cent on our ex-
ports is not the best method OF meeting
our liabilities or OF ascertaining the
amount Germany, at given moment, is
capable of paying: we have other ways
which. while suiting us better, equally
Will meet the case, then we would
have sat down at these conference tables
with the German delegation to examine
In perfect good faith its counterpro-
posals with view to arriving at
reasonable accord.
These differences perpetuate an
atmosphere of discord and distrust and
that Is fatal TO peace. which IS essen