THE AGREEMENT REVIEWED.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLI, Issue 9432, 1 February 1921, Page 5

THE AGREEMENT REVIEWED.

DETAILS OF THE PAYMENTS. (Received February 1, 10.30 a.m.) PARIS, January 30. ' The newspapers m outlining the I genesis of the reparations agreement kt its final form, pay a tribute to M. , Jaspar for showing the way out of the difficulty of fixing the total by suggesting fixed annuities on the growth of German exports. The conference thereupon, tackled tlie problem as. to ■ [ how far the fixed part of the annuities contemplated by the Boulogne agree|ment ought to be reduced m view of the variable margin which is bound to increase with each annuity. Active negotiations behind the scenes followed ' and M. Boucheur's efforts to bring Mr Lloyd George and M. Briand into full ■ agreement were crowned with success. The fixed annuities represent 226,000,---000,(w marks m gold. Some experts consider an ad \ valorem tax should quickly yield an annuity of 2000,000,- , 000 marks m. gold throughout the whole period. Therefore ko the 226,000,000,-^ 000 must be added a further 84,000,---000,000, making a total of 310,000,---000,000 marks, m gold, payable m 42 years. The scheme will operate from May 1, 1921. The main point of M. Loucheur's Austrian scheme is the transfer of the financial and economic administration of Austria to a syndicate with a capital of 200,000,000 francs. The Allies, with a view to encouraging the formaclaims on Austria and will strive to facilitate the task at the economic conferences in\ Vienna which are intended to enable Austria to resume regular commerce with her neighbours. The Allies demand the reduction of 'a number of the official staffs m Austria, and other reforms. • The Paris iPress reviewing the whole work of the Paris conference^ is unanimous m emphasising its having reconstituted m peace the united front which made for victory m war. M. Briand, m a statement to the Press representatives, would not hear of any German shuffling m the matter of reparation. He added: ' "That is impossible; we Tiave taken all the pre- • cautions necessary regarding- disarmament." He said it would, be complete because the Allies wished it. 7