The Prime Minister, in reply, said that Mr. Clynes's speech
would only stiffen the German resistance to the Allies' just demands. Mr. Clynes admitted that Germany ought to pay and that she was not paying ; what was the use of treaties if they were not to be enforced ? The demands made upon Ger- many were not excessive—less than an eighth, for this year, of what France is paying in taxes. The German offers were impossible, for they were contingent on the retention of the whole of Upper Silesia. We should never get anything from Germany if she knew that under no circumstances should we enforce our claim, as Mr. Clynes suggested. We were importing German goods to the value of £50,000,000 this year. More than half her exports went to Allied countries. Would she prefer to lose the whole of that trade and see her workmen unemployed rather than pay her debts ? Mr. Lloyd George said that when Germany realized that the Allies were in earnest and meant to deal firmly as well as fairly with her, she would come to an agreement.
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