THE PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE HISTORY AND DOCUMENTS
PUBLISHED FOR
THE CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE DIVISION OF ECONOMICS AND HISTORY
REPARATION AT THE PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE
REPARATION AT THE PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE
From the Standpoint of the American Delegation
By PHILIP MASON BURNETT
New York: Morningside Heights
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS
1940
Paris Peace Conference Book Extract (pdf version)
DOCUMENT 279
H. Me Kinstry, “Table of Estimated Damages,” April 18, 1919
[TPG, II, 70-72. This memorandum and accompanying table were prepared for McCormick. “Copy.” The typist’s signature at the top of the sheet, “THD/BHB,” suggests that Dillon actually may have done the work for McKinstry.
It will be noted that McKinstry has used here a more accurate system of exchange ratios than the editor has in the present work. That means that the editor’s figures as expressed in marks cannot be changed into dollars at 1:4 and made to agree with McKinstry’s “Approximate Total in Millions of Dollars,” as shown in the fourth column of figures. The editor’s conversion into marks is merely a guide to the reader.]
- In response to your request of April 16th, there is submitted herewith a table giving the estimated money value of damages included in the articles of the four categories of annex to Clause II, adopted by the Council of Four at their meeting of April 7th, 1919.
- Estimates are given for France, British Empire, Belgium, Italy, United States, Portugal, Japan, Servia and Montenegro, Poland, and the miscellaneous small states. No estimate has been given for Russia, Czecho-Slovak, Romania or Greece on account of lack of data.
- The Yugo-Slovak state has introduced a claim for Servia and Montenegro which has been used in compiling this table. They also introduced a claim for damages in portions of Austria, which is expected, will be incorporated in the new state. This latter claim has been disregarded.
- Armenia has also introduced a claim aggregating some nineteen billion francs, but their figures are so speculative that they have been omitted.
- The estimate for Article II, Annex to Clause II (Enforced Labor) is not included for lack of data, except in the case of Poland, where the necessary figures have been obtained from the Poland claim.
- Article II of Annex to Clause II (Property Damages) is so phrased that it might be interpreted as including such items in compensation for dispossession, loss of interest, loss of profit, and expenses for reorganization of business, etc., but in accordance with Mr. Dulles’ instructions such items have been omitted; and the figures as given cover only physical damage to property. It should be further noted that damages caused by depreciation of currency in the invaded regions, and in the hands of returning prisoners of war, and also the expenses for the care of the civilian population in the invaded regions, and expenses for repatriation of refugees, have also been omitted from these estimates. Property in enemy countries is not included for France and certain other nations for lack of suitable data.
- In considering this estimate, as in the case of previous estimates submitted, it should be understood that our figures are based upon incomplete information, and that these figures should be interpreted as indicating the order and the amounts of these damages rather than their accuracy. Nor should they be given any great weight in comparison with detailed estimates which will later be submitted to the Inter-Allied Commission by the various Governments concerned.
H. McKinstry
Brigadier General, U.S.A.
