News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1922-04-12
INSIST ON PAY
FOR RHINE ARMY
Demand Made on Governments
of Belgium, Great Britain,
France, Italy and Japan.
HUGHES GIVES DIRECTIONS
Notes Inspired by Reports That Allies
Sought to Ignore Yankee Claims.
Troops of Occupation on
Equal Footing as to Costs.

Washington.-The American army
| of occupation was sent into Germany
! and was continued there upon the
basis of the right of the United State
| to "be paid it's actual cost upon ar
government sis unable to conclude
that the Justice of it's claim Is not
fully recognized" according to identi
cal communications delivered by
American diplomatic representatives
to the governments of Belgium, Great
Britain, France, Italy and Japan,
The notes were delivered under in
structions from Secretary Hughes of
the Department of State, and were
occasloned by recent information from
American observers in Europe that the
allied governments apparently contem-
plated arrangements which would ig-
more American army costs altogether,
although estimates both for army
costs and Preparations were being made
on the basis of the entire capacity Of
the German government to pay. The
amount of the claims of the United
States for its army costs, the notes
declared, was understood to be free
from any substantial dispute, but it
was deemed to be appropriate sin
view of recent Developments" to ac-
quaint the allied governments with the
repeatedly reiterated statement that
the government of the United States
was expecting full payment of the costs
Of it's army in the Rhineland.
Basis for the American claim, the
notes pointed out, was found in the ar
mistice agreement, to which the Unit
ed States was signatory, and which
provided for military occupation Of
Germany by the allied and American
forces Jointly. That agreement, the
notes recited, expressly provided that
the upkeep of the troops of occupa-
ton in the Rhine districts should be
and it was expressed as the view Of
the American government that the
armistice agreement "had the clear
import" that the powers associated
in that joint enterprise SHOULD stand |
upon an equal footing as to the pay |
ment Of all the actual costs of their |
armies of occupation"
Priority of payments for the total
costs of all armies Of occupation was
Imposed by the Treaty of Versailles, |
The notes set forth, and since the right |
Of the United States to share in that
priority was mot expressly condition
ed" upon ratification of the treaty by
he United States, failure to ratify
should not be construed as affecting
n any way American rights. In that
the notes pointed out that
Germany has explicitly consented to
he priority of payment of the cost Of
he American army of occupation, not
the fact that the Treaty
If Versailles has not been ratified by
he United States" and that hence
any technical objection" to the dis
harge of the just claim of the United
States would necessarily rest solely
lpon the refusal of the allied powers
themselves to permit the discharge of
n admittedly equitable claim" and
! was insisted that the rights of
america were free from any technical
bjection.
The notes set forth that the total
ost of all armies of occupation from
november II, 1918, to May l, 1921,
mounted to $685., 282, 900 gold marks {;
hat the amounts due to Belgium,
rance and Italy for their army costs 5
Or that period had been paid in full. /
nd that the unpaid balance due May
1921, amounted to 1,66O,O9O,OO0l
old marks, of which 966,374OO0 gold I
larks were due to the United States
nd the remainder due to the British Y
mpire. It was pointed out also that o
he British government had received f
3O696,0OO gold marks between May
and December 81, 1921, and that c
lie payment was expressly made and
,ceived subject to the rights of the
nited States"