hey read that part of Section Six which
refers to the new German navy."

"That wasn't the way they used to feel," Abe declared. "Up to a few days
ago, Mawruss, von Tirpitz and Hindenburg and all them other German army
and navy experts was treating this war like it would of been a pinochle
game, and each of them was busy explaining by post-mortems how if his
partner hadn't played the hand rotten they would have won by three
points, not counting the last trick, but what are you going to do with a
_Strohschneider_ like that, and so forth."

"Did they mention anything about playing with marked cards?" Morris
asked.

"They did not," Abe said, "nor did they say anything about having
stacked the cards or dealing off of the bottom of the deck, Mawruss, but
you would think from the way them fellers acted at Versailles, Mawruss,
that this here Peace Conference is the breakup of a nice little friendly
game, y'understand, and that _not_ only should the winners take I. O.
U's. from the losers, but that it is also up to the winners to serve a
good delicatessen supper and pay for the lights and attendance."

"That must have been before they heard about the _capora_ which is in
store for them under Section Seven of this here Peace Treaty, Abe,"
Morris said, "which in order that there shouldn't be any softening of
the sound to them German cauliflower ears, Abe, the words _one billion_
ain't used at all, but instead it speaks about a thousand million
pounds, Abe, and, while it ain't any harder to raise than one billion
pounds, it certainly gives you the impression that it is."

"And how many of these thousands of millions of pounds must the German
people got to pay before they get through?" Abe asked.

"That the Peace Treaty don't say, Abe," Morris replied. "It leaves the
fixing of the total amount for a commission to be appointed later, Abe,
and the German people will be notified of their liabilities not later
than May 1, 1921; but in the mean time, Abe, just to keep up their
spirits they would got to pay a few instalments of one thousand million
pounds each."

"But if the instalments is one thousand million pounds each, Mawruss,
what do you think will be the grand total which Germany would have to
pay?" Abe asked.

"About the same grand total as the Allies would have been obliged to pay
if Germany had won," Morris replied.

"And how much would that have been?" Abe inquired.

"All they could raise, Abe," Morris concluded, "p