Milford chronicle., 1921-03-04
UNCLE TED'S
BEDTIME STORIES
War Debts and Geography

the maps of countries on the same
scale. These maps give me wrong
idea of the size of some of the cOun-
tries" 1t was Ruth talking, and, in
reply, Jack exclaimed:
'The figures move that 1 was right.
whatever the maps look like"
What's the discussion about?" in
quired Uncle Ted, looking up from the
paper he was reading as he sat deep
in the cushions of big easy chair.
Teacher was telling my class today
about some of the changes in the geo.
graphy because of the war;" respond
ed Jack, "and L was just now telling
Ruth about the big colonies England
got in Africa. She wouldn't believe
me when 1 told her that one of these
colonies alone is as big as all South
ern states East of the Missippi River,
and sometime will be just about as
valuable. 1 proved it to her by the
figures in, the encyclopedia.
That's fine, Jack, I'm glad you have
learned how to use the encyclopedia.
You can't carry all kinds of infOrma-
tiOn in your head, but you can find
nearly everything in a good encycIo-
pedia, and it's good thing to form
the habit of looking things up when
question arises like that yOa and Ruth
have been discussing. You won't for.
get the facts you have learned in this
way"
Then tOO," continued Uncle Ted.
I'm glad this discussion came up, for
it will make you interested in some
further facts concerning the treaty
of peace and the relations between |
the United States and the countries
that went to war with Germany. If |
you think you'd be interested, I'll tell |
you few things that are just now
receiving good deal of attention from |
the big men of this country"
Go ahead, Uncle Ted" exclaimed
Ruth. Il don't like to have Jack beat
me out in a dispute, but I'm glad he
told me some things 1 don't know.
What is it the big men of the country
are talking abOutw
"Well, it's like this" answered
Uncle Ted. "YOu know the war was
originally European war growing out
of the commercial rivalries of aEuro.
pean nations. In the beginning we
had no direct interest in it, but it be-
came our business to get into the war
when it was apparent that Germany {
intended to sink our ships in violation
of international law. After we enter !
ed the war it became apparent that the
Allies were out of money and supplies,
so we loaned the various nations diff J
ferent sums amounting in all to about
$1O,O00,OOO,000. Nearly half of this
we loaned to Great Britain, and she {
made loans to some of the other coun- 1
tries. The United States did not have
the money in its treasury to loan to '
the Allies, so it borrowed money from a
its own people by selling them bonds
The people of the United States sup g
piled the money and they must even S
tually pay the bonds through taxation,
except to the extent that the Allies re. v
pay the money we loaned them. G
"NOw, just to give you a general idea e
IF the situation, and without dealing il
IN exact figures, but figures that are 4
correct, the United a
States raised for war purposes about a
s35, 000,000,000 of which about $1O,OOO,-
100000 was raised by taxes and $780, S
)00,000,000 by sale of bonds and other jC
evidences of debt We are still in il
lebt more than $24,OOOOOO,OO0, but the al
lilies owe us about $10,000,O00,000 7
some time ago Great Britain made a r
uggestion to the United States that NJ
We cancel the debt of $1O,O0O,OOO,OOO 81
he Allies owe us. OF course, if we r
anceled the debt, that would mean
hat the people of the United States F
Who pay taxes would have to pay the r
1O,0OOO0O,000, for the United States
las its bonds out for that amount G.
which we raised to loan to the Allies hi
'he additional burden would fall upon
II the people of the country, for al m
hOugh lots of people do not pay any Cl
lcOme tax, or any other kind of tax, w
irectly, yet they pay the tax Indirect
= when they buy goods, for of course CO
axes are figured in as part of the cost W,
doing business. They are about
100000 people in the United States, We
0 you can easily figure out that if we to
ANGEL the debt of the Allies, it will
lean, on an average, placing an addi- sp
Onal debt of 500 on every man, wOm- Nj
n and child in the country, or $3.50 for he
very head of a family" ae
''I don't think that would be right
: fair" interrupted Jack. Even if d.,
le Allies pay their $1O,OOO,OOO,OOO we
AN, this country will still have a debt
about $14,000,O00,000 to pay, won't
?"
Eyes, that's about right, Jack. The >.
ar will cost us about $25,0OO,OOO,OOO,
ithOut counting interest, even if the Ch
lilies pay their debt The interest ia
i'll probably amount to more than the re
'incipal, by the time it is paid" ueI
'That's interesting" Ruth inter.
med, But what's all those big figur. ga
got to do with this map Jack was mo
owing me?" a
"Just this, Ruth: You see, when aIt
e war was over, the Allies made a Lyl
eaty of peace with Germany and took A
lot of territory away from her. mo
cks teacher was telling his class Dy
out it today, and Jack was telling
u. France was given a big chunk the
one side of what used to be Ger yea
my, and is to get lot of money as N
DaratiOn, or what we would call ght
images, in ordinary business. gay
ink France is entitled to a lot more Spl'
IN she will get Then Great Brit 5
l gets the German colonies in Africa Ien'
1t Jack has been telling you about. hea
is right about the size and value of
, colonies. Germany East Africa is 1he
1ut the size of all of the South sun
ST of the Mississinni River and Lag
m the Potomac River to the Gulf.
d in richness of resources it is no
) valuable. German Southwest Af-
l is about the size of Texas and M
ahOma combined, and probably ino
ut as rich in ultimate resources. pI9i1
means of her control of railroads mic
ports, Great Britain will control M
ctically all the industry and COM was
'ce of Africa the richest I1ndavaIOD. " .'N