The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1923-02-08

real coming together of minds-the
real essence of any kind of an agree
ments. No person or nation a party
to those settlements ever felt when
the signatures were affixed that a
real lasting agreement had been made.
In their hearts the allies and German y
knew that they were merely modes OF
procrastination-the putting off of the
final decision on a dangerous subject
one loaded with international polit-
cal dynamite"
why wouldn't it have been a good
thing, then, if we had been in the
league of nations and had a represen-
tative on the present separations COM
mission instead of a mere observer"
1T is only a case of another name
I am informed that the only difference
between our observer and the admit
ted members of the reparations com
mission is that he is called an observ-
er and they are not. The reparations
commission is a child of the war.
What we need now is an agency born
of the troubles of peace to deal with
the reparations question.
U. S. Should Take Initiative.
81 believe that this nation should
AXE the bull by the horns and init
ate an international conference to eff
ect real and final settlement of the
operations problem We have
right and duty to do so. The repair
ations dispute has upset everything.
We interviewed with arms when we
thought it our duty, and certainly
none should object if we intervene
our duty. 1 concede that such a con-
ference might break up in a row and
accomplish nothing. but the chance of
saving the world is worth the risk of
discontinue"
But why is the reparations ques-
ion so fundamentals"
Because every other international |
economic relation hinges on it directly |
or indirectly The reparatiOns amount |
was much too great for practice how
ever just it may have been as punt
tive damages. Great as it was no
y
quent reductions how much it is. For |
the Germans it meant that the harder |
they worked the more they had to pay |
and that the goal of fun payment re-
coded with every step toward it. I'm
der such conditions they are not keen
to pay; nor can they pay either in to-
tai or in installments according to the
rule.
Theory is one thing and fact an
other. What the Germans could or
should pay at the maximum and what
can be collected with the best results
TO everybody are two different propo-
sitons. Now while the separations
debt remains one that is purposely or /
nvoluntarily dishOnored all Europe is
upset because so much depends on
the outcome of such a colossal inter
national transaction. France can not /
work out her fiscal plans because they
we're Shaped with calculations based
on reparations payments The same
is true of Belgium. England seems to
have concluded to ignore the repara-
tons in making up her budgets, but |,
her trade with Germany is in a deplor-
able condition because Germany is
drowning in a flood of money-paper
money; and she can't have anything I
else with the hopeless reparations liza
Dility menacing everybody and every
hing. The consequent exchange
middle has made all international
business hazardous, and depreciating {
destroy or impair domestic
Germany is today a very weak and
Inefficient unit in the economic whole,
o which her full functioning is so i'm
oortant. According to the degree and
intimacy of her trade relations with
hem, all other nations suffer; and
heir disadvantage reacts on Germany
md each other-and our old friend
he vicious circle appears again. The
let result is that Europe is not at
work, is not making wealth-at the 4
iame time that it's excess of govern
mental charges bear heavier than Z
,ver on what production there is.
Nov I believe that if you can put ,
IeTIndnN 10 WOIk WIFI Il VIII anu VIII Z
/ reasonable prospect of reaping some
reward for her toll in
stead of working only to starve, as at
present, you will break the vicious z
,ircle and replace it with a beneficent
,ircle that will embrace the whole
world"
do you really think that Germany
will ever abide by any Preparations t
mount in good faith? Will she not
llways be coming back to ask for bet
err terms?"
"T hold that nobody has any right
o question Germany's good faith in 8
he event of a reasonable amount and I
,ndurable terms being imposed" {
"How much do you think Germany
AN and will pay?"
IT believe that she can stand twelve ,
o fifteen billions of dollars I think =