PAYING FOR THE WAR.
GERMANY’S LIABILITIES., FRANCE ASKS FOR JUSTICE. Under the title, “Who shall pay first, France or Germany?” the Matin prints a striking article on the suhpect of indemnity and on the proposed levy of a 25 per cent, tax on capital.
“Supposing that in 1871,” says the writer, “when the Germans held France from the Loire to Flanders, Bismarck had said to the German people: ‘We have crushed Franco and imposed on her an indemnity of two hundred millions sterling, which is rather more than the Avar has
cost ns. However, ns we are not absolutely sure that France can pay this two hundred millions, I propose to lake one-fifth of the property of every German citizen in order to meet the deficit in the Budget of the new German Empire.’ If Bismarck had made such a proposition, do you not think Ihe German people would have shut him up as a hmalic or stoned him?” The Matin writer goes on to point out that, although it has not yet been decided what Germany must pay for having let loose war and ruin on (he world, (he French Government have already announced that the best means of paying the cost of the war will be'lo take from every Frenchman one-fifth or onequarter of his property. “The knife is ready,” lie says “not to bleed the assassin who has been conquered, buf his victim who is the conqueror.” The proposed new lax on capital, the Matin points out, is aimed not only at a-quarter of the fortune of the millionaire, as some people seem to believe, but at afiiiarter of the savings old servants and employees have put aside for their old age, at a-quarter of the trader's merchandise, at a-quarter of (he farmer’s field, at a-quarter of (he peasant's furniture. “Will half or three-quarters of (he German fortune be taken first? Nobody seems to know. Will they lake first half or three-quarters of the waggons of gold and diamonds the Kaiser took with him into exile? Nobody knows. Will they take half or three-quarters of the savings of the people of Pomerania, Bavaria, or Hesse, whose sons and brothers burnt Bhcims, annihilated Amiens, sacked Valenciennes, pillaged Lille, devastated five French departments? Nobody knows. Mill they take half or three-quarters of the property of the German Junkers, of the lands of the boehe farmers, of the beer of the boche brewers, of (he furniture of the boehe peasants? Nobody knows. All we know is that, to meet (his debt due to German crime'it is proposed to take forthwith one-quarter of the fortune of France, and that before even presenting (be bill to the debtor they are seeking how to despoil (lie eredior.” The Matin draws a hitler contrast between the fact that every soldier will receive a demobilisation premium of ten pounds on leaving the army, and a few months later will bo called upon to pay the State a-quarter of all be possesses. The Matin concludes by characterising the proposed capital tax as “ruin and imbecility.”
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Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1969, 26 April 1919, Page 1
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509PAYING FOR THE WAR. Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1969, 26 April 1919, Page 1
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