REPARATIONS.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17740, 17 April 1923, Page 9

REPARATIONS.

NEW OFFER ADVOCATED.

A CHANGE OF FEELING.

(BY CABLE—ERESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT,) (AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.)

LONDON, April lo

The Berlin correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" states that the Socialist official organ is strongly advocating the making of a, new reparation offer. This acceptance by the largest party in the Reichstag of the British suggestion is symptomatic of changed feelings here. Other parties hold similar views, though hitherto they would not give them clear public utterance. It js widely hoped that Herr Rosenberg s speech in the Reichstag tomorrow will indicate a definite step in the direction of a settlement.

The Berlin correspondent of "The Times" says that the Chancellor, replying to trades union leaders, said he would be prepared to negotiate witn the French on a non-political basis only, on terms of equality. In the meanwhile, the workers of the Ruhr must understand that they would have to hold out for a considerable time.

FRANCO-BELGIAN POLICY.

PARIS, April 15,

The Franco-Belgian Conference has ended. M. Thounis and M. Jaspar are returning to Brussels. An official communique states that the Conference reaffirmed the Brussels resolution not to aocept German promises, and that evacuation should be progressive with German payments.

It was decided th&t goods seized in the R,uhr should be taken by France and Belgium as reparations in kind, to the extent of their requirements, and that any surplus should be sold, the proceeds, after a deduction of expenses of exploitation, being handed to the xteparations Commission.

SPEECH BY M. POINCARE.

FRANCE WILL HOLD PAST. (Received April 16th, 5.5 p.m.) PAItTS, April 15. M. Poincare, in. a speech at the unveiling of a monument at Dunkirk to fallen soldiers, said that Franoe was seeking to protect her frontiers against fresh aggression. France was the heaviest sufferer in the war, and could not reduce her reparations demands. It was now her duty to win peace. Germany had not attempted to pay the reparations. France had spent a hundred milliards of francs on Germany's account. France had made three discoveries in the Ruhr —first, that Uermany could have delivered the coal she owed, since she was now, doing it without Ruhr coal; secondly, that she could have paid in foreign ourrency, since she was using it to buy goods abroad; thirdly, the existence of a disguised military organisation. Had a two years' moratorium been granted, Germany would thereafter have defied the Allies. Franoe would firmly hold the guarantees she had seized, and would not surrender them in exchange for mere promises. Sh© would only withdraw from the Ruhr gradually, as the payments were made. She would patiently complete the task begun. Gerihany would look in vain for any' sign of wavering on the part of France. Withoiit violenoe or provocation Franoe would continue to the end.