DEBTS AND INDEMNITY.

Grey River Argus, 2 June 1922, Page 5

DEBTS AND INDEMNITY.

GSORGE HOPExUL Ox GERMANY. I NI , i:i> A'.'TIOX OF THE I'EFAI'I.TS. WOVl.ri ALL WAR DEBTS? I •K. <-_ Junt‘ 1. 7.10 j).m. ' LONDON, May 31. in ilie Hrnso m <’oninKins L\l r IJuyd thp Reparations. IL? said thal the Allied RpparaiL'ns ( onHnissioii were not yet able to say what their definite answer would be To the German proposals. Therefore it was ditticnlt for him in euter upon n djSi-ti.S:'ic’i of the subjpet. Anyth.no that he might say would hardly lie useful nt the present moment, and it might en->!ty Le haun- ' ful, but it might bo assumed that the critical phase which the matter presented a few weeks ago had passed. AMERICA’S ATTITUDE. There was on.* fact which had upset the ba.laiii.-e of ’the Reparation Commission. as it had also upset the League of Nations. That fact was the absence of America. Her absence rroni the machinery of the Versailles Treaty had made it less effective, and had made it work with less precision. ANGLO-FRENCH DELATION*. There was no cause for disagreement between France and ourselves. He was glad that Germany had made a real effort to meet the requirements of the Reparations Commission. His conviction was that safety for France could be found only in the practice of what was provided for in the League oi Nations covenant. Britain was not committed in any way to join in ary invasion, or any further occupation, of German territory. LEND THE INDEMNITY MONEY. What ground of objection could there be to the suggestion of an international loan as a means of enahlin" Germany to pay a large portion of the reparation demands. He beI lieve<l that Germany was now honestly doing her best in the fact ot very considerable political difficulties. v onsequently she was entitled to every consideration and respect. A policy’ ot nonfulftlment by Germany would be a policy of disaster for her. THREAT TO GERMANY. | It was not a question of Fiance acting alone, of there was a defiance ot the treaty of Versailles. ne weie signatories of it. ami we we:-e commiue.l to it. if tin' Government di<l r-ome on Germany to resist tlie Iroaty, it was not France that would be lelt alone to exact the conditions. We should act. We had stood for a policy of moderation and restraint, and Lad thereby rendered ourselves liable to a good deal of misrepresentation in France. We should still stand tor moderation, as well as for the policy of fulfilment. Any isolated action by our Ally be disastrous to the Entente. CANCEL ■*TIE DEBTS. A proposal liail"been made, outside, that Britain should remit the whole of the three thousand million of the debts owing to her by other countries, without receiving the remission of the thousand millions which Britain owed others. He declared that no Government could possibly contemplate such a thing. At the same time the British Government were perfectly willing to enter il'.o an international discussion with a view to obliterating the war debts owing to Britain, provided that she received some benefit in regard to the debts which Britain owed. GEHMAN PB.ESS VIEWS. NOTE TO ALLIES CONDEMNED. BERLIN, June 1. I The German Press generally is adversely eritiiising the German ReprniI that a politie.'il crisis will arise in that I connection when the Rciihstng reI sumes after the Whitsun recess. To I (lay the Peoples’ Party supported the Junkers in a r.o-contideneo motion, ■Alli. Il the Reichstag nevertheless defeated by a substantirl majority. The ' ‘ Dcut a-lie Allgemeiiu-a Zeitung” ('stines's organ) declares th: Gerntan Note is the most perilous and dishonouring one to Germany ever issued. ALLIES’ P.EPLY. WHAT TERMS GERMAN'.' GETS. PARIS. Jfne 1. The Allied Reparation Commission, replying to Germany, states that, while regretting Germany di«l not begin suen Pteps earlier, the • ctior. now taken an t Pio.nised constitutes a serious effort on Germany’s part to meet the commission's requirements. Therefore they c-opfirm th*' moratorium ..' ■nW .I on "March 21. The Allied Commission. however, po.nts out that this -m w-n' is liable to eaneellat on .| IH tiri.. if tl.c lil--;-:, r.i-. ions Comnnsilsiim l G.'i-m-i.v Ims failed "...I. oj' ?’■' eonditious down. ' The‘Commission reserves the right to cnncF' Hip postponement if. tnrnugh fn'b.n-t. io an international loan. Go nut-iv r -fils io i-.arrv through her pro-mi.-I to" nmli ■ -irinngenients regarding 1,,...'11,, urn-' .Ici.t. or if slu- fails to tirnl other npi'rov.-.l arrangemee.ts for dealing with her budget defimts am.l i.oatAMET.ICA eleps out. WASHING I’CN. *»no 1. ■ I-, . ■. - . m .' h.n a.ilioniu-ed The H: sue Cot f< tenee. ’I hi Allied Anl„ mitm-s here approach -I Mr Hughes mfm-nmilm sugge-lit- t’.S.A. representation on two commissions in order to deal with economic subjects according ' to'the desires of the United Stipes.