Έκθεση που αναφέρεται στο πολεμικό χρέος της Ελλάδας προς την Αγγλία.

Italy. Italy is a Great Power and we are but a small people. Italy issued from the war victorious and we, defeated. Italy has a budget which is not only balanced but also shows an important surplus, whilst ours shows a great deficit notwithstanding the heavy taxation imposed. Italy has not to face the grave question of refugees which we have to cope with. His Majesty's Treasury argue that the Italian debt being a very heavy one, a proportionate amount could not be claimed from that country to that which can be claimed of us, our indebtedness being for smaller. According to the Treasury it must be found how much Italy and how much we can afford to pay, regardless to the amount of their debt or ours. A similar basis which would completely ignore the amount of the debt would not be just, especially as it leads to the following inconsequent conclusion that, were the Great Powers to have carried out fully their obligations to Greece under the agreement of 1918, in this case the debt of the latter being bigger we would have to pay less in proportion than what we shall now have to pay, when owing to the reluctance of the Powers to carry out their full obligations to Greece the external war debt of the latter is smaller. However, even if such a basis were to be laid down, the proposal of the Treasury that we should pay more, in proportion, then Italy would be quite unjust. The extent of the injustice would be better demonstrated if -18-