This nationwide strike crippled much of the railroad industry in 1894, but was eventually ended by the federal government.

It all began on May 14 in Martinsburg, West Virginia in 1877 after Ohio and Baltimore cut wages of their employees for the third time . In this occasion the strike lasted  45 days when put down by a local, state militia and federal troops.   Across the United States of America about 100 people were killed in the unrest . Workers in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and other cities burned down train stations facilities, engines, stock and property.  

this means that germany had to pay the allied countries. reparations are/is essentially payment for something that they have done wrong, so after ww1, germany was forced to pay reparations so they could replenish the allied countries resources' that they had lost during the war.