LONDON CONFERENCE

Evening Star, Issue 18714, 16 August 1924, Page 6

LONDON CONFERENCE

ANXIETY TO REACH AGREEMENT. WATTING jFOR GERMANY’S DECISION, Press Association—By Telegraph—Copycat. LONDON, August 15. After day-long conferences in London, the critical problem of the Ruhr evacuation was transferred at a late hour to Berlin. Dr Marx telegraphed at length on a private wire from his apartments at the Ritz Hotel, the messages going direct to the Cabinet, which was sitting in Berlin. At 2.30 this morning the following message was received in London;—“A meeting of the Cabinet, over which Herr Ebert presided, lasted until after midnight, when in consequence of further telegrams from London it adjourned until mid-day on Friday. The questioning of ,party leaders is finished. The subsequent standpoint of the Ministers and the party leaders will be notified to the delegation in London, and an answer to the Allies will follow."

Dr Marx previously marie it plain in London that the fate of the German Government was in the balance, and it would he necessary to consult the leaders of all parties before arriving at a decision. It is understood that the German view is that the Ruhr and Cologne zone should bo evacuated by January 10. This, M. Herriot negatived; but in the course of the day ho intimated that, although the evacuation time limit was a .year, that period had been fixed without prejudice to earlier evacuation. More, over, ho is understood to have offered the concession that the year will begin when the agreement is signed and immediately the Hawes report is put into operation. The French will then evacuate Mannheim and other towns in the sanctions area, and withdraw the Franco-Bol-gian railwayman from the Ruhr, only reserving the right to reinforce the railway troops in case of emergency. Mr MacDonald and Mr Kellogg (the American Ambassador) supported the revised plan, the acceptance of which it is believed Dr Marx recommended to Berlin, Under the circumstances an easier tone prevailed late last night. British official circles stated that the worst flint could happen would bo delay. Certainly the conference would not break down. The ‘Morning Post,’ however, declares that the conference could not last much longer, for the chief delegates are approaching a state of physical exhaustion. Mr MacDonald was talking to the foreign delegates until 3 o’clock on Thursday morning. He rose again to begin his day’s work at 6.30. While there was much plain speaking yesterday on the part of M. Herriot and Hr Slvesemaun, the reports of "scenes” are inaccurate, and it is also untrue that Mr MacDonald and Mr Kellogg sent an ultimatum to the Germans demanding Hie immedaite acceptance of M. Herriot’s terms. On the contrary, there was the keenest anxiety to reach an agreement, and the delegates remained nut of bed until they received news that Hie Berlin Cabinet had adjourned.—A. and N. Cable.

CHANCELLOR RECOMMENDS ACCEPTANCE. LONDON, August 15. (Received August 16, at 1 a.m.) Dr Marx has advised the Berlin Cabinet (o accept the French offer. —Sydney'Sun' Cable. ’ * A NOTE OF OPTIMISM. NEW YORK, August 14. Mr C. E. Hughes (Secretary of State) on his return fnsn Europe expressed the belief that the Dawes report would t>e accepted by all the Powers, and would be effective very soon. He did not believe that the acceptance of the plan hinged upon the dale of the Ruhr evacuation.— Reuter.