THE ALLIES

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 18 August 1924, Page 5

THE ALLIES

ATMOSPHERE CLEARER. FURTHER. PROGRESS MADE. GERMANY PROTESTS, BUT . ACCEPTS. 8X CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT LONDON, Aug. 16. The negotiations between the FrancoBelgian delegates and the Germans today resulted in an agreement that the town and district of Dortmund be evacuated the day after the signature of the protocol at the end of August, and also the other districts occupied during the Ruhr occupation, but the Ruhr itself is to be evacuated in a year. The final meeting of the conference is being held this evening, and the Germans will probably return to Berlin to-morrow. The Reichstag will meet on August .21. It is understood the agreement was reached during the night. The Germans took a note of. the French demands, without recognising the legality of the Ruhr occupation. A later statement is to the effect that the agreement reached hv the conference has been initialled. Before the agreement was reached many interviews followed the receipt of Berlin’s 7000 word message, after which the Germans, it is believed, paid informal calls on Mr. Ramsay MacDonald and Mr. Keliogg (the American Ambassador), explaining that the Berlin Government was agreeable to the Ruhr being evacuated in twelve months on condition that all the Allies or any one of them guarantee .the granting of a £40,000,000 loan. It is understood Mr. MacDonald replied that in those circumstances it was necessary for some of the delegates to return to Berlin. Mr. MacDonald merely remarked: “Well, give mv compliments to Herr Ebert.” Later the Germans conferred with M. Herriot (Premier of France) and M. Theunis (Premier of Belgium).

It was stated at a late hour that the Germans had withdrawn the demand for a more definite guarantee that a loan would lie forthcoming, and it is kmvon that considerable progress will ibe made on other points. It is understood the Germans ask: Firstly, for withdrawal from the Ruhr ports of Dusseldorf. Duisberg, and Rulirort; secondly, a pledge by the French to endeavour to complete the general evacuation of the Ruhr by April 16; thirdly, that the occupation of the • remaining Ruhr areas should become as invisible as possible. The French meanwhile stress the importance of the free export of cotton goods and iron and steel products from AlsaceLorraine into Germany.

Reports from Berlin confirm Ger- • many’s acceptance of the offer of evacuation of the Ruhr in a year, qualified by the reservations already indicated. The Daily Telegraph says the London Conference has been saved; Germany protests, but accepts. LONDON, Aug. 17. The Allied Conference agreements will be formally signed on August 30. after ratification by the French and German Parliaments. Correspondence of the French, Belgian, and German delegations, dated August 16, shows that MM. Herriot, Theunis, and Hymans promise the evacuation of the Ruhr within a maximum of twelve months if the London agreements are carried out in spirit, :good faith, and pacification. They also agree that on the day 'after the final signature they will evacuate the Dort-mund-Hoerde zone and the territories outside the Ruhr occupied since January 11, 1023. In order to give immediate and spontaneous proof of the desire for ceacc arid confidence in the undertakings freely entered into, it is understood that the Allies have agreed to immediate negotiations with Germany for commercial treaties.