GERMANY'S WAS INDEMNITY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 156, 1 July 1916, Page 15

GERMANY'S WAS INDEMNITY.

It is good to have a statement, after Germany's own thorough, logical methods, of the indemnity Germany ought to be made to pay when peace comes. Mr. Francis Gribhle gives us It in th» 'TUneteentb. Centnry." The direct cost or the | Franco - German war to Germany Is reckoned at sixty- millions; 6he took an Indemnity of two hnndred minions. On this , basis Gerseaey, if she surrenders now, B£oolS b»7 toe Allies f30;00Q,C30 r 00O; if sue goes on the amount may rist> to twice as Tnm*ft. Bat, tiongn she onght, unfortun«tel7 abe could oofpay e»enthc- Jower-som. i Sir. Gribble, therefore, turns -t»-toe German | Chancellor's actual promises at the <ratbreak of the war to Tecoup Belsium for aE damage done by the violation of' her territory. "His pledge is one to whVchae rnnst be absolutely pinned,, and no excuse for evading it oust be allowed to» serve." Ejecy German, from the Kaiser dowßwurds, directly or toeincctly responsible for the crimes committed- Ui. Belgium, should be restricted, if necessary, t» one suit of clothe* and eec-meal a day, "noJong as any Belgian, man, womaa or child is suffering any injury from the war xiichii. money payment could refieve." i

Then similar accounts from the ravaged territories of France, Poland, Serbia and Montenegro will have an equal claim to immediate attention. Mr. Gribble sets out in clear summary the indemnity due to Belgium, which next July will be about £1,400,000,000. The «-i<ri«« of the other ravaged countries raise the sum to £6,000,000,000, without allowing a siagle penny for the actual military expenditure of the Allied Powers. What will be the most effective monn*: not only of compelling, but also of enabling, Germany to .pay? The popular view of a vigorous boy-cott-of German goods is ridiculous. What we w-ant is a well-theugbt-out plan for making the most of German labour, machinery aud resources. Mr. Gribble goes into the matter in detail, and snggests hovr the Allies may take control of the jrreat German industries and make them grad lally pay ofl the dobt. The German workers would not suffer—only the capitalists ar.d chiefly suck people as tbc BaUi££ and