Pay Day

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Pay Day

Item Info

Item No: PIXC00021
Title: Pay Day
Additional Title: The Bill
Publication Date: 6/28/1919
Media Type: Cartoons (Commentary)
Source: Print and Picture Collection
Notes:

This cartoon shows a surprised and anxious Germany being presented a very long bill by the winners of World War One, the Allies.

The signing of the 1919 Treaty of Versailles officially ended the hostilities of World War One. The terms of the treaty required that Germany and its allies pay reparations for their role as aggressors in the conflict. A Reparation Commission was set up to determine the amount owed and in 1921 it set the figure at 132 billion gold marks, or about $31.5 billion.[1] The United States Congress in fact rejected and did not ratify the Treaty of Versailles in part due to disagreement regarding the amount of this compensation. The United States would go on to negotiate its own resolution with Germany which was passed by Congress in 1921.[2]

Sources:

[1] Office of the Historian. (n.d.). Milestones 1921-1936: The Dawes Plan. Retrieved from: <http://history.state.gov/milestones/1921-1936/Dawes>

[2] United States Senate. (n.d.). The Treaty of Versailles. Retrieved from: <http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/generic/Feature_Homepage_TreatyVersailles.htm>


Bibliography:

Hammon, James. "Pay Day." Evening Public Ledger: Sports Extra (Philadelphia, PA). 1919, June 28: p. 10.



Country: Country:United States
State/Province:Pennsylvania

Creation Year (Single Year or Range Begin): 1919
Creator Name: Hammon, James - Artist
Evening Public Ledger - Printer/Publisher

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