MAKING GERMANY PAY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16379, 4 March 1919, Page 8

MAKING GERMANY PAY.

VIEWS OF SIR E. GEDDES. KAISER AND CROWN PRINCE. Tn, a speech just prior to the British general elections, Sir Eric Geddos said ho had always maintained _ that the Kaiser must not escape .punishment for his share in the war. The man who ■was at the top had got in his person to expiate the crimes committed, and not only the Kaiser. “The Kaiser has a son,”' said Sir Eric. “They say he is now in Holland. Perhaps ho is one of the twelve thousand Gormans waiting to como over to England. Believe. me, he is coming over as sure as there is *a British Navy on tho sea. (Cheers.) The "late All Highest and Ids son have got to be punished before wo start with smaller fry.” Referring to the question of indemnities, Sir Eric said someone had suggested that ho was weak-kneed on this subject. Did they think the terms of the naval armistice were pro-Boohe P Ho had something to do with , those terms, and ho fought at Versailles to try to got them made stronger, but failed. (Cheers.) “If lam returned,” ■said Sir Erics “Germany is going to pay—restitution, reparation, and indemnity—and I have personally no doubt wo will get cvorytlyng out of her that you can squeeze out of a lemon, and a bit more—(cheers) —but there are some things I would not take from Germany because they would hurt our industries. 1 propose that every bit of property, movable and immovable, in Allied and neutral countries, whether State property or private property of Germans, should be surrendered to tho Allies, and that Germany should pay her precious citizens in her precious paper money. (Cheers.) No Gorman should bo allowed to own anything in England. If Germany has got anything she can buy she can pay that in indemnities. I propose that not only all the gold Germany has got, but all the silver and jewels she has got, shall bo handed over. All her pictures and libraries and everything of that kind should bo sold to the neutral and Allied -world, and the proceeds given to pay tho indemnity. I would strip Germany as she has stripped Belgium.” (Cheers.)