REPARATIONS.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19643, 12 June 1929, Page 11

REPARATIONS.

PRESS OPINIONS ON SETTLEMENT. BRITAIN'S SACRIFICE OF £6,000,000. « CERTAINLY WORTH WHILE." OFFICIAL. WIBELMS.) (Received June 11th, 7.10 p.m.) RUGBY, June 10. Commenting on the report of the Committee of Experts on Reparations, "The Times'* emphasises the importance to the future of Europe and of the world of the results achieved.

"On the economic side the report opens the road to the final liquidation, through ordinary channels, of commercial transactions,'' "The Times" states. "It renders obsolete once and for all the political method of handling the work as a purely economic problem, which has wrought such untold harm during the past ten years. It carries the process of reconciliation which was initiated at Locarno one step farther and opens the door to the evacuation of the Rhinelnnd. The fact that the figures in the report are calculated on the assumption that German payments for the armies in occupation will cease on November Ist cannot be wholly without significance. "So far as this country is concerned the report will be welcomed with genuine relief and sincere satisfaction, though not perhaps with enthusiasm. However regrettable the necessity for the sacrifices to be made by Britain may be, the price which has been paid for settlement is certainly not too high."

The "Manchester Guardian" says that although the report may not have solved the whole problem of reparations for ever, yet for practical purposes it may now be regarded as having been put on a business footing. The "Guardian" states: "From the British standpoint the main feature of the scheme is that it enables us to give effect to the principle of the Balfour Note, that our receipts shall be equal to but no more than our payments to America, but only does this by wiping out the whole of our accumulated excess of payments over receipts. It seems that the sacrifice of these arrears has meant the surrender of iomething over £6,000,000 annually. If it is a fact that under no other circumstances could an agreement have been obtained, the sacrifice was certainly worth while from an international standpoint. The terms of this settlement, assuming that it is ratified by the Governments, are iramense. The International Bank will for the first time render possible the policy advocated at the Genoa Conference in 1922, and may be a decisive influence in the development of a world financial policy." The "Daily Telegraph," after emphasising the extent of British sacrifices in order to achieve unanimity, says: "Acceptance of the report is hardly to be doubted. The work has been too well and thoroughly done. Arguments in favour of a final settlement on the basis so carefully and scientifically prepared are too strong for any Government to accept responsibility for the disaster of failure at the last stage."

ATTITUDE OF NEW FOREIGN SECRETARY. (BRITISH OFFICIAL WI3XLESS.) KUGBY, June 10. Interviewed regarding Reparations, the Foreign Secretary, Mr Arthur Henderson, said that the Government would study the Experts' Report and ascertain the opinion of the other Government!} concerned. Only then could they consider the next step in reference to the Rhineland. He said: "Wc are anxious to see all foreign troops withdrawn from German territory as 60on as possible, but we shall have to consider carefully the best ways and means of achieving that. And so with other questions; with disarmament, for example, and with the supremely important one of arbitration. Our objects are well known. Now we have to work out the problems of how to achieve them."