Volume 2 — WHAT SHOULD WE DO WITHOUT MICHAEL?
Reading edition
Michael: "For my 100 Marks I obtained a receipt. I gave this for second 100 Marks and I received a second receipt. For the third loan I gave the second receipt. Have I invested 300 Marks and has the Government got 300, or have both of us got nothing?"
If we desire the possibility of shaping a peace in accordance with our needs and our vital requirements, we must not forget the question of cost. We must see to it that the whole future livelihood of our people shall, so far as is in any way possible, be relieved of the burden. The leaden weight of thousands of millions is due to the people who got up this war. They, not we, shall drag it along with them. Of course, we know that this is a matter of peculiar difficulty, but everything that can be done in this direction shall be done.
We are paying the money almost exclusively to ourselves, whilst the enemy is paying its loans abroad, a guarantee that in the future we shall maintain the advantage.
Dr. Helfferich, Reichstag, September, 1915.
