Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-04-12
Covering Letter Of Head of
Commission EXpl aInS.
Method Used to Arrive at
EquabIe Decision

PARIS, April 9.-Brigadier Gen
eral Charles G. Dawes, the unofficial
American representative on the first
committee which examined into the
economic and financial situation IN
Germany, in a covering letter to the
report of his committee tells the
Preparations committee that the com
mittee's recommendations must be
considered not as infliCting penal
ties but as suggesting means for as
sisting the economic recovery of ali
European peoples and the entry
upon a new period of happiness and
prosperity unmenaced by war"
The covering letter of General
Dawes follows:
"To the President of the PREPARATION
Commission:
Sir:
Your committee has unanimously
adopted a report upon the means
for balancing the German budget
and the measures to be taken to
stabilize It's currency which l now
have the honor to submit.
Deeply impressed by a sense of
it's responsibility to your commission
and to the universal conscience, the
committee bases it's plan upon those
principles of justice, fairness and
mutual interest in the supremacy OF
which not only the creditors of Ger
many and Germany itself, but the
world also have a vital and enduring
concern.
with these principles fixed and
accepted in that common good faith
which Is the foundation of all bust
ness and the best safeguard for uni
versal peace, the committees rec
I concentrations must be considered
not as inflicting penalties but as sug-
costing means for assisting the eco
nomic recovery of all European
peoples and the entry upon a new
period of happiness and prosperity
unmenaced by war.
Creditor NatiOps Taxed
"Since as a result of the war, the
creditors of Germany are paying
taxes to the limit of their capacity,
so also must Germany BE encour-
aged to pay taxes from year to year
10 the limit Of her capacity. This
is in accord with the just and under
lying principle of the treaty of Yer
sailles. reatfirmed by Germany in
German scheme of taxation mast be
fully as heavy proportionately as
that Of any of the powers represent
ed on the commission More than
this limit could not be expected, and
less than this would relieve Ger
many from the common hardship
and give to her an unfair advantage
in the industrial competition of the
future. The plan of the committee
embodles this principle.
1.-The plan has been made to in
clude flexible adjustments which
from the very beginning, tend to
produce a maximum OF contribu-
lions consistent with the continued
and increasing productivity of Ger.
many; the conservative estimates Of
payments to be made in the near
future are dictated by business pru-
loan and should not destroy the
perspective as to the effects to be
registered in the aggregate of even
tual payments which will annually
increase.
with normal economic conditions
and with productivity restored in
Germany the most hopeful estimates
of the amounts receivable are JUS
titled. Without such restoration
such payments as may be obtained
will be of little value in meeting
argent needs Of creditor nations.
ITO insure the permanence Of
the new economic peace between
the allied governments and Ger
many, which involves the economic
adjustments presented by the plan,
there are provided the counter parts
of those usual economic precau-
tons against Generalization which
IRE recognized as essential in all
business relations involving express
obligations.
Safeguards Not Hampering
1.-The existence OF safeguards in
no way hampers or embarasses the
case of ordinary business contracts.
The thorough effectiveness of these
safeguards should not embarrass
the normal economic functioning IF
Germany ard is of fundamental i'm
portance to Germany and her cred
itors.
Great care has been taken in
fixing the conditions of the supervi-
sion over Germany's internal organ
iZation so as to impose a minimum
of interference consistent with prop
er protection.
The plan submitted is fair and
ISdSOudDie IN us NATURE, anu Il at
Cepted, is likely to lead to ultimate
and lasting peace. The reflections of
these proposals by the German gov
eminent meanss the deliberate choice
Of q continuance Of economic de-
moralization. eventually involving
her people in hopeless misery.
Broad Field Covered
In the preparation of this report
the committee has efully covered
a broad field Of investigation. 1t has
had the constant cooperation Of able
staffs of experts in gathering infor-
nation, digsting it and presenting it
The committee has conducted, on
the ground, an examination of Of (
ficials of the German government
and Representatives of German Ia
Dor, agriculture and industry. 1t has
received from the German govern .
ment and its representative VO-
luminous and satisfactory answers +
in response to written inquiries. In |