put the figure for the whole group at the round sum of $1,250,000,000.
We are finally left with the following—
| Belgium | $2,500,000,000 | [98] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 4,000,000,000 | ||
| Great Britain | 2,850,000,000 | ||
| Other Allies | 1,250,000,000 | ||
| Total | $10,600,000,000 |
I need not impress on the reader that there is much guesswork in the above, and the figure for France in particular is likely to be criticized. But I feel some confidence that the general magnitude, as distinct from the precise figures, is not hopelessly erroneous; and this may be expressed by the statement that a claim against Germany, based on the interpretation of the pre-Armistice engagements of the Allied Powers which is adopted above, would assuredly be found to exceed $8,000,000,000 and to fall short of $15,000,000,000.
This is the amount of the claim which we were entitled to present to the enemy. For reasons which will appear more fully later on, I believe that it would have been a wise and just act to have asked the German Government at the