FBANCE 323 FRANCE
of the armistice, originally agreed upon for thirty (21 June, 1920), Brussels (2 July, 1920), the Spa
days, were subsequently renewed from time to (5-6 July, 1920), again at Boulogne (16-21 Decem-
time and remained in effect until the signing of ber, 1^20), at Paris (24 January, 1921), at London
the Treaty of Peace at Versailles on 28 June, 1919. (1 March, and 5 May, 1921), at Wiesbaden (6
The French entered Alsace-Lorraine and the terri- October, 1921), at Cannes (6 January, 1^22), and
toiy surrounding Mainz. at Paris (21 March, 1922). Of these, the Spa,
By the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, Ger- Weisbaden, and the last London conferences were many yielded Alsace-Lorraine to France and by most successful. Under the Spa agreement, the way of reparation and economic settlement, ac- terms of the Versailles Treaty regarding the deliv- cepted full responsibility for all damages caused ery of 3,^,000 tons of coal per month to the to the allied and associated governments and na- allies, were found incapable of realization, and tions, and promised to reimburse all civilian dam- the demand was reduced to 2,(X)0,000 tons a month age, beginning with an initial payment of $5,000- from August, 1920. The allies agreed to pay Ger- 000,000, subsequent payments being secured by many something for the coal, the sums thus re- bonds to be issued at the discretion of an Inter- ceived to be utilized in purchasing from abroad national Reparations Commission. Until repara- additional food for the miners. It was also decided tion is made and the treaty fully carried out, allied to apportion the reparations made by Germany occupation of German territory on the left bank of as follows: France 52%; Great Britain 22%; Italy the Rhine and of the bridge-heads at Cologne, 10%; Belgium 8%; and the rest to Japan, Portugal, Coblenz, and Mainz, will continue. In compensa- Jugoslavia, Greece, Rumania, and other powers not tion for the destruction of coal mines in Northern signatories to the Agreement. At the Boulogne France, and as payment on account of repeura- Conference it was agreed to finance the Spa coal tion, Germany surrendered full ownership of the agreement through the Reparations Commission. coal mines in the Saar Basin, the territory to be At the London Conference in May, 1921, the total governed by a Commission of five appointed by bill against Germany was fixed at 132,000,000,000 the League of Nations. After fifteen years a plebis- gold marks (133,000,000,000), $12,500,000,000 to be cite is to be held by the communes to decide as to paid in bonds bearing 5% interest, $3,0()0,000,000 the continuance of the existing regime, union with by 1 July, 1921, $9,500,000,000 by 1 September, 1921. France, or imion with Germany. Germany also re- To provide for interest and sinking fund of 1 per nounced all her rights under the Franco-German cent on these bonds, Germany was to pay annually agreements of 1909 and 1911 regarding Morocco. $500,000,000 (2,000,000,000 gold marks) in two in-
The provision in the Treaty of Versailles that stallments, plus a levy of 25% on all her exports. Germany, subject to certain deductions, was to pay For the remaining $20,500,0(X),000 Germany was to £1,(X)0,<X)0,000 (^old) before 1 May, 1921, was turn over to the Reparations Commission blank so remarkably wide of facts and possibilities that it bonds to be issued by the Commission at such was totally abandoned in the London Agreement times as the return from the export tax should of 5 May, 1921. From 11 November, 1918, to 30 warrant. The fall of the value of the mark and April, 1921, however, Germany delivered to the the accompanying economic disturbances in Ger- allies 99,334,000 gold marks, ships worth 270,331,000 many led to the Wiesbaden Pact, which was a gold marks, coal worth 437,160,000 gold marks, dye- scheme to stimulate payment of reparation in the stuffs, 36323,(X)0 gold marks; other deliveries, 937,- form of actual materials for the reconstruction of 040,000 gold marl&, immovable property and assets devastated regions and other raw material until not yet ca^ed, 2,754,104,000, a total of 4,534,792,000 May, 1936. At Cannes the French held tentatively gold marks, or £284,500,000. The immovable prop- to the Wiesbaden Pact, arranging for the payment erty consists chiefly of the Saar coalfields, surren- by Germany of 720,000,(XX) marks in 1922, payment dered to France, State property in Schleswig in kind, not to exceed a value of 1,450,000,000 marks surrendered to Denmark, and State property in the in gold (950,(XX),000 to France). The agreement was territory transferred to Poland. Still the sums ratified by the allies but owing to the sudden with- received were not available for reparation, as under drawal of France from the conference, nothing was the Spa agreement, 360,000,000 gold marks were done to put the scheme into operation. A limita- returned to Germany and the costs of the Armies tion of the issue of German paper money and the of Occupation had to be paid. The situation reform of German currency was ordered, and an thereby created has been irritating to the French, international finance corporation was formed, to especially as the flnEmcial schemes of France in be composed of two British, two French, one Bel- recent years have been based on the hope of re- gian, one Italian, and one Japanese member, whose habilitating the country with German reparations purpose was to be the economic rehabilitation of and easing the financial burdens of France, and Europe. In the meantime there were threats of especially as the tax per capita in France is much excursions by the French army into Germany east heavier than the head tax in Germany. of the Rhine. In March, 1920, France without the
In the various conferences which have followed approval of her Allies, occupied Frankfort and
the signing of the treaty, France has always stood Darmstadt. In March, 1921, Duisburg, Ruhrort, and
for a thorough-going application of the terms of Dusseldorf were occupied.
the Versailles Treaty, Italy for a virtual revision. The war revealed the loyalty of the Royalists,
and England for the adaptation of the terms to conservatives, and clericals, who had been bitterly
the changing situation. The question of repara- accused of enmity to the Republic. Most remark-
tions has been verv complicated. As soon as able was the patriotism shown by thousands of
schemes are devised and accepted, for '^making members of religious orders who returned from
Germany pay," there are frantic efforts t9 get exile and 'promptly offered themselves to their
them altered. The Versailles Conference estab- country. Thousands of priests volunteered, either
lished the principles of reparations and determined for active fighting or as chaplains. There was a
such sums to be paid, but postponed the details great revival of religious enthusiasm not only
and regulations until a later date. The problem among the women but also among the men who, in all its aspects was discussed at various con- in the face of death abandoned their religious
ferences, at B&n Remo (19 April, 1920), at Hythe, indifferenre. Anti-clorirals and Catholics, Republi-
England (15 May and 19 June, 1920), in Boulogne cans and royiih8ts, all formed a union sacree to
