THE GERMAN BUDGET DEBATE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 34, 4 November 1919, Page 7

THE GERMAN BUDGET DEBATE

OBLIGATIONS TO THE ALLIES NO DESIRE TO SHIRK THEM (By Tclegrapb-Press ABSooiation-Copyriekt Berlin, October 31. Kerr Erzborger, German Minister of Finance, ill the course of the debate on the Imperial .Budget, stated that tho National Debt as from 1920 would amount to at least 212,000 million marks. A complaint was made that the Budget contained no definite sum lo meet the cost: of carrying out the peace conditions. Herr Erzberger replied that Germany did not wish to give the. impression that she was shirking her obligations. Such an impression would be created if too small a sum was mentioned in the Budget. He emphatically declared that Germany wished to fulfil the Treaty. Any inability on the part of Germany to pay her liabilities would create a similar inability in France, and would result in an unheard of international industrial crisis. The Budget was passed.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. CIRCUMNAVIGATING THE TREATY GERMANY'S NEW ARMY. London, October 30. The ."Pall -Mall Gazette's" correspondent at Berlin .states that the new Municipal Guard is expected to total two hundred thousand. It will virtually become a second German army. Only seasoned soVliers irH be permitted to ioin. Tho fullest militarv pqir'nnient will be provided, and each hundred will he allotted five machine guns. The scheme will enaVi'e the Government to distribute ten thousand machine-guns beyond the number provided bv tho Peace Treah-.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. UNITED STATES COMMISSION TO GERMANY. New, York, October 31. The State Department announces, that the United States Commissioners in Berlin have been appointed to observe conditions in Germany and report to the United Slar/\=. The appointment does not affect the iVnlonwtic. status or relations botwe»n tlip United States and Germany—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. . budget"figures. Berlin, October 31. Herr Erzherger, delivering the' 1919 Budget, slnfe-l that the year's expenditure was 79,000 million marks, compared with revenue in 1918 totalling 9010' million marks. New taxes were estimated to yield 9000 million marks. The National Debt totalled WO.OOO millions, on wjiioli he interest charge was approximately 9000 millions.—Router.