News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1922-03-22
OUR Rhine CLAIM
is NOT ALLOWED
finance Ministers Continue the
Division of German Payments
Among Allied Powers.
B0YDEN ASKS S241, 100000
Question Will Go to Governments
Upon Whom Washington is In a
Position to Use Pressure-Say We
Should Collect Our Own.

1
Paris.-The Washington government
asked the Finance Ministers of the
allied nations engaged in a conference
here for dividing up German payments
to the Repatriation Commission for d
settlement of the claim of $241 100000
IF the American government for the
cost of the American Army of Occupa-
ton. The Allied Ministers did not
| comply, but by subsequent action pre-
sented a direct refusal to grant the
American demand.
| The American communication was in
| the form of a statement by Roland w.
Boyden, American member of the
| ReparatiOn Commission, who is sitting
n the allied Finance Ministers meet
.ng. Although the official cOmmunique
makes no mention of the matter, it Is
understood Mr.. Boyden recalled that
the Berlin treaty reserved for America
the benefits she would enjoy under the
Versailles Treaty; that the Versailles
Treaty provided that costs of the
armies of occupation was a lien on
German payments of prior validity to
general PREPARATIONS that the Allies
having practically paid themselves for
their occupation COSTS the $241, 100000
lue America should be paid before any
allotment was made for general repara-
tons.
To grant the American demand the
allied Ministers, after having allotted
sums to meet the French, English and
Belgian army occupation costs, would
nave to assign funds to meet the Amer
can claim. What the Finance Min
sterS did was to complete the division
If the 1921 payments and then provide
COR the ALLEGATION of the 1929 payments
W Germany, which action included al
location of funds for other purposes
.han payment of the armies of Occupa-
ion. No provision was made for meet
lng the American demand. nor will any
le made before the end of the Minist-
1rs conference, it was stated officially.
The attitude of the Finance Min
isters is in accord with that of their
governments, which is that America,
having separate treaty with Ger
many. should collect direct from Gel
many. 1t is always possible the allied
governments may find delicate reasons
Tor changing this attitude, but as the
matter stands at present the Allies do
not feel that they should collect for
America.
The American action is important be-
.auSe for the first time it raises the
ssue of the validity of the Berlin
realty, in its text, reserves for America
he rights she would have had under
he Versailles treaty. But that re-
serving is done by America and Ger
many, without the consent of the AL
les. who under the Versailles treaty,
according to the European interpreta-
ion. already held Il first mortgage on
Ill German resources.
1t was the expectation Of the allied
nations th.t following the signing of
he Berlin treaty Washington would
negotiate with them to establish Amer
can rights under the Berlin treaty
rhis was pointed out in the Paris dis
patches of the New York Times LAST
September, which dispatches brought
statement from Washington that no
,uch negotiations were necessary. Be
,ause the allied nations owe America
sums of money and America
AN bring pressure to bear on them
n that direction they may climb down
rom the present stand. But at pres
mt il is not their intention to hand
,ver TO America for her occupation
account any sums which have been col
ected from Germany by virtue of the
versailles treaty we did not ratify. 1t
S their attitude that the American
lain is a claim against Germany, not
claim against ,le Allies.
Up to date the Allies have paid
themselves some $5O0,00000O as their
,osts Of occupation. All the French,
Belgian and British claims up to May
/, 1921, were met out of the 1921 pay
nents except a relatively small amount
still due England.