THE SQUEEZING OF BELGIUM

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 12, 9 October 1918, Page 6

THE SQUEEZING OF BELGIUM

STORY OF GERMAN EXTORTIONS

£3320 PER HOUR

(By Captain Alured F. Ozanne.)

The "Informations Beiges" of July 20 publishes a very interesting statement respecting the exaction by the Germans for tlie period between Juno and November of this present year. It seems that the German GovernorGeneral of Belgium summoned tlio Provincial Councils of the nine Belgian provinces to meet on -June 1, 1918, in ordor to force them to pass resolutions necessary to ensure the regular monthly contribution towards Germany's war expenditure which, the unfortunate Belgians have had to pay ever since November, 1914. Every means appears to have been adopted by the German authorities to exercise pressure on the wretched Councils and to render it impossible for them to utter a single effective protest against the injustice of these persistent spoliations. It was insisted that all the Councils throughout the nine provinces should l;okl their meetings on the same day and at tho same hour; the session was to last one day, no' longer; the agenda Bfl6 to be limited to one item—that determined by the German authorities; the meeting was to be held behind closed doors; the vote to stand irrespective of the number of members piesent; and, finally, the report of the meeting was not to be published except .in tho German "Bulletin Officiel 'las Lois et Arretes."

Thus it is painfully clear that poor little Belgium, notwithstanding the fact that she has been invaded, devastated, and oppressed in every conceivable fashion by the Germans, has to pay tribute to the invader, has out of her penury to fill the coffers of that perjured Empire, and is unable <;ven to utter a protest. The result of the meeting of the Councils has been published in tho "Bulletin Officiel des Lois et Arretes" of June 2. It appears that all the Councils refused to vote the necessiry supplies. Their act is_ deprecated by the German authorities us "woundinr, to the general interest." The German authorities have there.' fore cancelled the resolutions which were passed, and, as before, measures to enforce payment will beytaken by tho German authorities.

In November, 1914, the war contribution lovied on Belgium by Germany vas fixed at 40 million francs (£1,6(10,000) per month. In November, 1916, this was increased to 50 ' million francs (£2,000,000) per month. ?.nd in Mny, 1917, to 60 million francs (£2,400.000) per month. This is in addition to die ordinary budget. Neither has it to be taken 'into account with certain new tnxes which have arisen nor with the fines which are constantly being imposed. These figures represent the year contribution pure and simple, and it is interesting to see what this item alone amounts to. So far us the monthly war contribution itself is concerned, the result is as follows:—

No , 1914. to Oct., 1916 ... 38,400:000 Nov , 1016, to May, 1917... 14,000,000 June 1017, to May, 1918 ... 28,800,000 June 1918, to Nov., 1918 12,000,000

£93,200,000

These figures represent for the period of occupation an indemnity of £80,000 per day, £3320 per hour, nnd £57<Jl6s. Bd. per minute. In addition to this it is as well to remember that in September, . 1916, the Germans sei.wd Mk.430,000,000 (£21,500,000) in German notes lying sit the Banquo Rationale and the Societe Generate. _ And yet this same Germany claims to be an apostle ' of the doctrine of peace without annexations or indemnities!