3 °

ESSAYS IN PERSUASION

PART

every platform during the war, as well as otherconsiderations, surely require that the areasdamaged by the enemy’s invasion shouldreceive a priority of compensation. Whilethis was one of the ultimate objects for whichwe said we were fighting, we never includedthe recovery of separation allowances amongstour war aims. I suggest, therefore, that weshould by our acts prove ourselves sincereand trustworthy, and that accordingly GreatBritain should waive altogether her claims forcash payment, in favour of Belgium, Serbia ,and France . The whole of the paymentsmade by Germany would then be subject tothe prior charge of repairing the materialinjury done to those countries and provinceswhich suffered actual invasion by the enemy;and I believe that the sum of £1,500,000,000thus available would be adequate to coverentirely the actual costs of restoration. Further,it is only by a complete subordination of her ownclaims for cash compensation that Great Britain can ask with clean hands for a revision of theTreaty and clear her honour from the breach offaith for which she bears the main responsibility,as a result of the policy to which the GeneralElection of 1918 pledged her representatives.

With the Reparation problem thus clearedup it would be possible to bring forward witha better grace and more hope of success twoother financial proposals, each of which in-volves an appeal to the generosity of theUnited States .