REPARATIONS.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17937, 4 December 1923, Page 7

REPARATIONS.

ALLIES ACT AS ONE.

ENTENTE AGAIN

CEMENTED. (BT CA.32-JE P2MS ASSOCIATION COPYSIOXT.) (KEUTZS'S TBLSGSUVS..) PARIS, December The Reparations Commission lias unanimously decided to appoint two expert committees to examine Germany's capacity to pay. One of the committees will investigate the means of balancing the Budget and stabilising German currency. The other will investigate the means of valuing or causing the return to Germany of her vanished capital. The significance of the decision lies in tho fa-t that a unanimous decision has been taken for the first time sinceJanuary list last, when the Commis sion declared Germany's default, as a preliminary to the occupation of the Ruhr.

Newspapers are pleased at the unanimous decision and declare that tho Entente has once more been cemented.

MILITARY IN THE RUHR.

A REDUCTION PROPOSED

(. THE TIMES.")

LONDON, Decombcr 2,

The Brussels correspondent of "The Times" says that special negotiations are proceeding between, the French and Belgian Governments in regard to the question of reducing the strength o£ military detachments in the Ruhr. General Degoutte (French Command-er-in-Chief) is favourable to a reduction compatible with the security of the troops. The Belgian Government considers the time has come to begin withdrawing troops, but in view of the disorder reigning beyong the occupied region, certain precautions are considered necessary.

The two Governments are also favourable to wider measures of clemency to people expelled from the Ruhr for opposing, the resumption of work; and persons serving sentences are also to be liberated.

HOPEFUL OF AMERICA.

HER ASSISTANCE WANTED.

(EETJTBE'S TKLIOaAMS..)

PARIS, December 2

A semi-official statement, issued under the authority of M. Barthou (President of the Reparations Commission), expresses tho hope that the unanimity of the Commission's decision will encourage tho United States to send representatives to the expert committees, tho members of which will be appointed next week.

Tho commission fixed' that tho next payment be dcmandable from Germany when the committees have completed their labour.

BRITAIN THE PEACEMAKER.

"V- (Router's Telegrams.) PARIS, December 2. "L'CEuvre" says that the conciliatory attitude of Sir John Bradbury (British representative on the Roparations Commission) was particularly valuable in view of the prospect of an agreement as regards Tangier and Morocco, and the Italo-Spanish flirtation. It is noteworthy that the simi-ofiicial statement says the question of payments from the Ruhr was not discussed at the conference because there was a ,tacit mutual agreement to avoid any discussion likely to causo a conflict betweon the different schools of thought regarding the methods.