COST OF RESTORATION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17038, 20 December 1918, Page 5

COST OF RESTORATION

GERMANY ADMITS LIABILITY SEEKING MODIFIED TERMS RECITAL OF LOSSES SUFFERED $■. German financiers, while admitting that the damage done H In Belgium and France and the tonnage destroyed! by the ||* submarines must be paid for, are advancing counter-claim!! with a view to moderating the allied demands. In rebuttal H they advance the loss of overseas trade and colonies, the comm i pulsory liquidation of businesses, the food abandoned in W France, and the value of the guns, aeroplanes, and warships »?, surrendered. Latest reports from Germany state that the power of the extremists is waning. It is thought, however, that the growing || * v opposition to their propaganda will result eventually in a clash !«;'£ between the opposing factions, and the possibility of sanguinary outbreaks is foreshadowed. 1 GERMAN COUNTER-CLAIM TO ALLIED DEMANDS. I .ADMISSION THAT PAYMENT FOR DAMAGE MUST BE MADE | LOSSES AND SURRENDERS ADVANCED IN REBUTTAL.

Wm «Renter. (Bectrfved 7.85 p.m.) . LONDON, Dec. 19. I .• A message via The Hague states that the Soviet has sent an ultimatum to the Government demanding the resignation of Herr : .¥U Ebert and Herr Scheidemann. , ;"; - The Times says that German financiers are busily juggling with - estimates of indemnities, with a view to proving that the Allies must \ moderate their claims. They admit that the damage done in Belgium and Korhern France, and tonnage destroyed by submarines musb be .' 'restored, but counter-claims are minutely, and, in some instances, humorously detailed. * * :;H .: The claims include payment for the destruction of German over-'/-•vy/sea. trade, colonial interests, and.merchant ships seized, the cost of feeding prisoners, of compulsory business liquidations, damage to - bombed towns, the, value of the food abandoned in France, and the 'iM\ surrendered guns, aeroplanes, and warships, and the railways cf -?! Alsace-Lorraine. ..-,•■... ' '

SEEDS OF SERIOUS DISORDER BEING SOWN IN BERLIN. ■ 'CLASH WITH GREAT BLOODSHED ANTICIPATED. '' ' 'Australian and N.Z. and Router. ' .' ' LONDON, Dec- 18. .' j& , „. Reports from The Hague state that the situation at Hamburg fJ--'J is steadily growing worse.' The strength of Dr. Liebknecht'B partisans up to the present has been due to their ruthlessness and determination 1 ' not to stick at anything to gain their ends, .but' their numbers are be- ; coming fewer daily. Disturbances constantly occur. Eyewitnesses • ''retained from Germany now at The Hague saw .a fight■ in,-which . ' machine-guns were posted at' converging points of the streets, ■ and . . were fired with deadly effect. Eight people were , killed and 40 wounded. .The majority the people, including all the bourgeois • parties,- are gradually working up to a pitch at which decisive resistance by anti-extremists la inevitable, then slaughter on a great scale may be expected. '■'..- • " . . . , ~ Industrial troubles are increasing owing to lack of raw material. r r • Goalminers refuse to work more than six hours. The labouring classes ; are irritable, and many factories continue to turn out useless war products in order to keep the workers employed. The employers are ''- powerless, as the authority in the factories remains with the Workers Council No employer is allowed to close a department or reduce ' the output. : The workmen generally are armed, and include troops ready for street fighting. . No.successful effort has yet been made to absorb the millions of workers returning from the army. ,As an sample of Bolshevism in German industry, the existence of the two ■ reat Siemens firms near Spandau are threatened by the workmen a ' demands aggregating an extra six millions sterling a year. The workmen have been locked out. %. • : ' -._ _ ' ' The Berlin correspondent of the'Dady Express states that scenes of enthusiasm still mark the return of the troops. Ten thousand men X arrive daily.' Herr Ebert addresses them from a rostrum opposite i ■ - the French Embassy. ' The crowds cheer the soldiers, who wear laurel :l. ''wreaths. Berlin has gone dancing mad, crowds filling the cabarets, dancing and drinking expensive wines.

PACIFICATION OF MEXICO.

TASK FOR UNITED STATES. ft ASSURING BRITISH RIGHTS ffe& Australian and N.Z. CM. Association. (Seed. 5.40 p.m.) . NEW YORK. Dec. a 18. lit* The Washington correspondent of the United Press states that it is expected Wm that Britain will ask tho United States to " . fettle the unstable conditions in Mexico. ' Britain has" been undergoing great difficul- -■■- ties in obtaining her right* in Mexico in » ' reference io the exportation of oil. .It is ' felt sure that the proposed League of ' Nations will require the United States to . cute the establishment of requisite order iivlwd the recognition of foreign rights in Mexico, ' MINISTRYJIF BOLIVIA. PORTFOLIOS RE-ALLOTTED. ;Vl ;_ (Received 7.30 p.m.) ''// Renter. LA PAZ (BOLIVIA). Dec. 17. A new Bolivian Cabinet has been formed « - to strengthen the Government in view Of • the difference* between Chili and Peru. -.'■ The Cabinet comprises -.-Minister tor Forri eign Affairs, Senor Albert Cutierrez; . ' Minister for the Interior, Senor Tejadaj Minister for Education, Senor Bflttt- :. menti; Minister for Finance, Senor. ; y:i '■ Dario Gutierrez; Minister for Works, ■'■'• Senor Vargosj Minister for War, Senor Quinteros. t- ' — ; ' JJ THE BRITISH CABINET. JJT CHANGES FORECASTED. Jv 'ADMIRALTY AND WAR OFFICE tefA/andS.Z-B*uter. LONDON. Dec. 18. 9P- The newspapers Anticipate a number of early Cabinet changes. It is reported Spptthat a s new reconstruction Cabinet, conabout a dozen members, will §that a new reconstruction Cabinet. consisting of about a dozen members, will ahortlv supersede the War Cabinet. $"&L6rd Milner and Sir . Eric Geddes ; are • likely to leave the War Office and the P Admiralty. > Mr. Austen; Chamberlain is - expected >; to becpmjj '"■ Cbancelloij : of ■'the p ||Excl»eaue», ■• , ;

ARMY OF OCCUPATION. THE QUOTA FROM CANADA. ! POSITION OVER RHINE. A. »nd N.Z. OTTAWA, Dec 18. ! Canadian troops crossed the Rhine bridges, and are occupying the bridgehead near Cologne. The Canadians crossed on the famous Bridge of Boat*. Heavy rain spoiled the spectacle. A total of 65 Victoria Crosses were awarded to Canadians during the wtr. PUNISHMENT OF KAISER. FAVOUR IN AMERICA. AFFIRMING RESOLUTION. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 6.40 p.m.) WASHINGTON. Deo. 18. A resolution has been introduced in the House of Representatives favouring the punishment of the Kaiser and his associatM' PARIS, Dec. 18. Mr. Woodrow Wilson in a speech here to-day, said that he believed a League of Nations indispensable to the preservation of peace. 1 "■■ "* " UNREST IN SOUTH AMERICA INCREASING BOLSHEVISM. A. and N.Z. NEW YORK, Doc. 18. Despatches from Monte Video say that Bolshevik agitations are increasing in Brazil, Uruguay, and tho Argentina In some places Workers' Councils have been formed in co-operation with the police. REVERSE FOR BOLSHEVIKS DON COSSACKS' SUCCESS. A. and N.Z. WASHINGTON. Dec. 18. ,The State Department has been informed that the Don Cossacks debated the Bolsheviks, capturing 20 guns and thousands of prisoners, '' :- ; ■ ; ' ( .•''•■■• Y