THE CONFERENCE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18128, 18 July 1924, Page 9

THE CONFERENCE.

ALLIES IN LONDON. MR MACDONALD CHAIRMAN PRELIMINARY SPEECHES. (sr CABLE—PHESS ASSOCIATION COrTBIOHT.) ANJJ U.S. CABIJE ASSOCIATION.) LONDON, July 16. Public interest in tho opening of the Allied Conference was shown by the large crowd in Downing street an hour before tine commencement, including Dominion Boy Scouts and many journalists and photographers. There was a constant procession of motor-cars and taxis from 10.45 a.m. onwards. The Japanese delegates were the first to arrive. Then came M. Caclamnos (Greece), General Borton de Mattoa (Portugal), M. Titulesco (lloumania), followed by tho Jugo-Slars, the Belgians, and M. Heriiot (France), who had a particularly hearty welcome. Finally came the Italians. All proceeded to the Foreign Secretary's room, where they took their places at the horseshoe table. The first meeting ended at one o'clock, and the conference was resumed at five o'clock in the evening. Mr Mac Donald, in a speech, welcomed the delegates and urged the importance of enforcing the recommendations of the Dawes Committee as a whole and unaltered. It would be the business of the Conference to create conditions under which the Dawes plan would be likely to work. Tho Prime Minister hoped the Conference would follow the good example of the Dawes report, approaching the problem as a business proposition rather than from the political standpoint. The Conference should deal solely with the Dawes plan. Mr M&cDonald specially welcomed tlfe American representatives, as bearing evidence of the co-operation and goodwill of the United States. In the course of his speech, he said that two conditions seemed absolutely essential: namely, the economic and fiscal unity of Germany and adequate security for investors in the proposed loata.

M. Herriot thanked Mr Mac Donald for his "noble words," and dwelt on the difficulty of tho Conference's task of conciliation in tho interests of the peoples concerned and ofg taking steps to restore and maintain peace. He emphasised that - everybody in France most sincerely desired peace. M. Herriot then proposed Mr MacDonald as chairman of the Conference. Mr F. B. Kellog (American Ambassador) thanked Mr Mac Donald for welcoming the United States delegates, who had come in a spirit of helpfulness. He paid a warm tribute to the Dawes Committee, and said that the Americans believed the adoption of the Dawes report would be tho first big step in the reconstruction of Europe. Signor de Stefani (Italy) seconded M. Heriiot's proposal that Mr Mac Donald be chairman. He promised Italian co-operation in the work of the Conference.

The Japanese Ambassador promised similar co-operation. M. Thcuuis (Belgium) expressed confidence that the Conference would succeed in its work for justice and peac: Mr MaclXmald accepted tho chairmanship, and said he hoped the Conference would succeed. Sir Maurice Hankey (Secretary to the Cabinet and the Privy Council) was elected secretary at a general conference. Three technical committees have been appointed. The Dominions were not represented at the morning's meeting, but it is believed they will be represented at further meetings.

Mr J. H. Thomas and Sir Eyre Crowe (Permanent. Under-Secretary for .foreign Affairs) in addition to Mr Ramsay Mac Donald and Mr Pliilip Snowden, composed the .British deloga-' tion.

CONDITIONS FOR GERMANY, / COMMISSION'S FOUR POINTS. (AUBTKALIA-N* A.V3 H.Z. cable association) PARIS, July 16. In response to the Anglo-]? Tench' request for euggestioris -regarding llip drowing-up of the plan for tho reestablishment of Germany's econoniic and tiscal unity, the Reparations Commission decided that tho following conditions would determine whether the Dawes report should be put into execution ; (1) Complete handing over to , the Allied trustee of the securities provide ed for in the report. (2) Completion of the gold bankissue. (3) Formation cf a company to work the railways. (4) Complete subscription of the fir3t loan of £CO.OCO,OCO gold marks. The "Petit Parisien" says the lastnamed point was decided only after heated discussion, the British delegates declaring that subscriptionsjvould bo difficult and perhaps impossible if the economic unity cf Germany were not. restored.

AN AUSTRALIAN'S PAPER. LONDON, July 16. Mr Jones (Melbourne) submitted a paper to the Advertising Convention on Australia and New Zealand as markets for the export trade. lie pointed oat that Britain should learn from other nations the art of meeting th-i requirements of orerseas buyers, notably for motor-ears, in which fine the American type were better adapted to Australian and: New Zealand conditions. Ke emphasised the wisdom of direct commercial representation, and also gave useful hints on how to gain th'e best results of advertising in the two Dominions,

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LONDON, July 17. Son.'itor Belcourt has arrived, and will represent Canada as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the inter-Allied ConfertJico. GERMAN CURRENCY. (EEUTXA'S TtLEOBAIia.) BERLIN, July 16. The Government has approved ot' the text of the Bill establishing the new Gold Note Bank in accordance with Duwee report, and incidentally providing for the issue of yotd 10 and libmark coins and of silver coins lor owe, two, five, 10, and 60 pteunig.