THE WAR DEBTS

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 271, 21 August 1925, Page 9

THE WAR DEBTS

CAILLAUX GOING TO LONDON TO CONFER WITH BRITISH FOREIGN MINISTER COMMENTS ON BELGIAN FUNDING AGREEMENT The French Minister of Finance is going to London to confer with Mr. Chamberlain. In a speech in Paris M. Caillaux stressed the urgency of of an agreement between the great civilised nations, and said it was necessary therefore first to settle ‘'‘this miserable money business.” By Telegraph—Press Association « .•t.pvmcm (Rec. August 20, 7.30 p.m.) London, August 20. M. Caillaux, the French Minister of Finance, is going to London on Sunday, accompanied only by his secretary. He will privately confer with Mr. Churchill on Monday regarding the debt. The Paris newspapers express _ the opinion that if the result is satisfactory the experts will follow and take up the negotiations. At a lunch tendered to British and American journalists yesterday, M. Caillaux stressed the urgency of an agreement between the great civilised nations, wherefore we must first settle “this miserable money business." — Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. (Rec. August 20, 9.10 p.m.) London, August 20. The British comment on the Belgian debt funding is mainly congratulatory to Belgium. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Brussels correspondent savs the terms evoke moderate approval. M. Jansen, the Finance Minister, considered that better results might have been obtained but for the constitution of the American Government and the effect upon the negotiations with other debtor countries.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ENGLISH PRESS COMMENTS AMERICA’S ATTITUDE CRITICISED BRITAIN PAYING, BUT NOT BEING PAID (Rec. August 20 4 9.10 p.m.) London, August 20. The “Morning Post” says: “If America’s financial assistance in war time is to be treated by the debt commission as an investment, America’s part in war necessarily assumes a very different complexion from the part taken by tlie Allies.” The “Financial Times” finds satisfaction that the United States, “which displayed such unconcealed eagerness to secure her pound of flesh from other debtors,” recognised that Belgium was entitled to lenient treatment. The “Daily Mail” says: “Britain is paving everybody, and none of the debtors is paving her except Poland and Latvia. ’ This must lead to intense suffering and perhaps even gradual destruction of British trade and industry. Britain has a right to expect that payments to America should be accompanied by equal payments to Britain. We believe that the fairness of this claim has beei. generally recognised in America, as also that if more favourable terms are granted bv America to other countries, the British agreement ou~ht to be similarly modified.”—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. FRENCH COMMISSION GOING TO WASHINGTON (Rec. August 20, 5.5 p.m.) Washington, August 19. A French Debt Commission will leave about September 15 for the United States, Mr.. Mellon has announced. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.