ALLIES' WAR COSTS

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 137, 6 December 1918, Page 7

ALLIES' WAR COSTS

GERMANY'S ABILITY TO PAY. LONDON, 4th December. Mr. Harold Cox has made an exhaustive analysis of Germany's ability to pay the Allies' war costs. These total £25,000,000,000. including Britain's £7,300,000,000, France's £5,360,000,000, the United States' £3,600,000,000, and Russia's £4,300,000,000. The value of the territorial annexations, including the colonies, must first be deducted, also the value of Alsace-Lorraine. Prance would also demand the Saar coal basin, which was lost-in 1815. The Germans must hand over £150,000,000 in gold, .and her merchant ships and her investments abroad, valued at about £500,----000,000. When nil these assets have been taken, Germany N may owe the Allies £10,000,000,000. on which the interest would bo £500,000,000. Some of thia may be paid by royalty upon the coalfields of Westphalia, and the potash mines in Saxony, and the rest would be an annual tribute, for which the taxpayers would bo responsible. Thus the Germans would be compelled to work andi remain poor, while the Allies, relieved of the burden of the war debt, would' enjoy a high standard of comfort and fewer hours of labour. Mr. Cox concludes: "What better punishment can be devised?"