"BAD ECONOMICS."

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18185, 23 September 1924, Page 9

"BAD ECONOMICS."

DAWES SCHEME ATTACKED.

SIR HODGES DENOUNCES REPARATIONS SETTLEMENT.

(BT CABLE— FBS33 A3SOCIATIOK— coptoight) {aUSTBALUK AX» H.Z. CABLB ASSOCIATION.)

(Received September 22nd, 7.15 p,m7)

LOa'DTTN, September 22.

Mr Frank Hodges, M.P. (General Secretary of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain, at Tamworth, in a vigorous attack on the Dawes report, said that reparations might be good politics, but were certainly bad economics. Germany could deal tho deadliest blow at tho Allies by fulfilling the report. German coal delivered to France, Belgium, or Italy would always be sold at a fraction below tho British price, so, if any British coal wero sold, it would be at a price which would scarcely allow British collieries to live. In order to pay reparations, German workers were being driven to abandon their hard-earned victories in the fight for reasonable conditions of employment. The god of reparations must be appeased, even if the whole of tiie European Labour movement wero flung on the altars of sacrifice. Now that tho German workers hacl succumbed, Britisu capitalists were squealing that hours should bo lengthened and wages lowered.