THE REPARATIONS REPORT.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19683, 29 July 1929, Page 9

THE REPARATIONS REPORT.

BRITAIN'S SACRIFICES. 4 NO FURTHER CONCESSIONS. <in:nsn omen:, wimlkss.) IMGRY, July 26. Mr Lloyd (Liberal leader) tailed attention in the House of Commons t» <' lC Voutig Report on Reparations' and said that he was amazed that it should ever have been ljr wei't<"] t<> the British Treasury as I f n ir x-itl-incia of the claims of (jreat Uritam. Mr Philip Snowden, Chancellor ot the Kxelu'<nier, 111 reply, said that the government w< re not in any way committal u> acceptance ut the Young Report. Hi; realised the difficult task that ho mould have in approaching the Conference, and could only say that he would do iii., host to obtain justice for this country, and whatever the result of the Cosif-reii.c might be, he astured the House that there would be mi further sacrifice, of British interest*. Th.re w'is no desire to increase the mitoiint. of annuities which Germany woald be called upon to pay. That ivas one point in the report on which he thought there would be very general ngroement. There was, however, already a difference of about £21)0,001 >.OOO between what we had paid to America and what we had received lr" ,n Continental debtors. Under the scheme we should have to abandon all hope of ever getting anything towards that £200,000,000 arrears. With regard to the question of deliveries in kind, the Government realised the seriousness of the question for an exporting country like Britain. Anything that the Government could do to ease the situation would certainly be done. The proposals constituted a new demand for further sacrifices, and from the viewpoint of Britain's national finances her position was sufficiently serious; therefore. Britain should maintain such rights a.s she had. "I think I am expressing the view of the Government," said Mr Snowden, "when I say that the limit of concessions by this country has been reached. Onr sacrifices hare been magnanimous, generous, and quixotic. They have imposed a burden of £60,000,000 a year upon our own people, which will remain even if we were to get our payments from Germany and our Continental debtors."