"A GREAT INTRIGUE"

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 51, 28 August 1925, Page 8

"A GREAT INTRIGUE"

SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES FRENCH DEBT NEGOTIATIONS NEWSPAPER REVEALS INNER HISTORY. (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—COFSRIGHT.) (AUSTRALIAN-NEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION.) (Received 28th August, 2.30 p.m.) LONDON, 27th August. The "Daily Express," in a remarkable article headed "A Financial Gallipoli; How Caillaux Toyed With the Chancellor ; Manoeuvres in a Great Intrigue," says :— "Now that M. Caillaux has returned to Paris 'full of deep gratitude' it is possible to disclose the inner history of Jtfr. Churchill's financial Gallipoli, and its serious consequences. ..Theconference in London in July was iimited to experts, and there were frantic denials when it was reported that the conference had broken down. Mr. Chamberlain feared that the atmosphere for negotiating the Pact would be ruined and Cabinet hastened to offer and accept sixteen instead of twenty millions annually. This was the first surrender. M. Caillaux is one of the world's most astute minds, famous for bold bluffing, and he immediately saw how he could profit therefrom. There was a fierce outburst from the Paris Press against the heads of the British' Treasury, and the object was to silence and render powerless the watchdogs of British finance. M. Caillaux wanted to get Blr. Churchill away from the experts, knowing the latter's lack .of ability to handle figures_ scientifically. He succeeded, and this week he has been simply toying with Mr. Churchill until he was tired. The Minister wished to go on his holidays, but M. Caillaux outstayed him. His persistency was astonishing, and ho wore Mr. Churchill down from fifteen to fourteen, and then to twelve and a half millions. This was the second surrender. M. Caillaux now has more up his sleeve, and as he wishes to use the British offer to beat down America, he has hinted at new developments, which he hopes may produce a revision of Mr. Baldwin's settlement.' . There is no chance of that, but there is an unpleasant risk of Britain anS America becoming embroiled. There is also Italy, and what can we exact from Italy if we are ready to permit France to pay us with a moratorium?"