SNOWDEN’S WIN

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 220, 4 September 1929, Page 5

SNOWDEN’S WIN

THE HAGUE WORK REVIEWED CONFERENCE REMINDED OF DRIT/yN’S SACRIFICES NO LONGER THE MILCH COW OF EUROPE, [British Official Wireless.l (Received 4, 12.30 p.m.) Rugby, Sept. 3. The Rt. Hon. Philip Snowden, in a speech broadcast by wireless last night, reviewed the ' work of The Hague conference. He explained that the distribution of reparation payments proposed by the Young Committee would have reduced Great Britain’s share by £2,400,000 a year for 37 years, largely for the advan tage of Italy, ’rhe British Government also took strong exception to the proposed division of German annuities into conditional and unconditional with ,priority provisions in favour of other countres. He learned afterwards that the heads of the other principal delegations had never fully realised what Groat Britain was expected to sacrifice under the Young Plan. He had to remind the conference that no single country engaged in the war had made a sacrifice at all approaching Britain’s financial sacrifices and to recall Britain’s magnanimous settlement with the Allies. Britain had gained by the agreement ultimately reached £2,300,000 a year, of which 90 per cent, was guaranteed and he had also obtained a larger share ot unconditional annuities. Very substantial improvement with regard to delivery in kind was effected by the agreement with Italy. They desired the world to know that Britain could no longer be regarded as the milch cow of Europe and that this country’s international rights should be asserted at international agreements. Their voluntary sacrifice of a share of the unconditional annuities had won for Britain the ardent gratitude and respect of the smaller nations. The conference, said Mr- Snowden, had done much to liquidate the legacies of the war and to enable the countries of Europe to pursue economic reconstruction.

HOW SETTLEMENT WAS ACHIEVED. MR. SNOWDEN’S STORY. London, .Sept. 2. ‘‘This is London calling, British Empire,” was the announcer’s ! il timation when the Rt. Hon. Philip Snowden took the microphone at 9.5 o’clock to-night to describe The Hague conference. His story was largely a reciv, lulation, but he disclosed that on the final night at 8.45 o’clock he put down under six heads Britain's minimum demands. M. Jasper, whe Vas acting as intermediary, returned in half dn hour with an advance of £lOO,OOO. “I said ‘At the same rat-e of progress you wjll reach our demands by midnight.’ M. Jasper returned in a quarter of an hour with another £50,000. I said, ‘You are doing first rate; be not weary in well doing.’ He said, ‘I cannot d<| more; you have emptied our pockets.’ In a kindly way 1 sagl, ‘Go through your pockets again and be sure vou find enough to meet what is between us-’ M. Jasper replied, ‘You are too hard; I have never seen a man like you. You are what we in our country call un type ’ Someone had a brain wave and we got what we wanted at midnight and the conference was saved.” In closing Mr. Snowden said: “I think it will make a profound impression on our relations in Europe. There was no reversion to the spineless policy of recent years. We have reassured Britain’s rights in international agreements; we have won the respect of other Powers; it will liberate the countries of Europe to pursue economic reconstruction; above all, it brought a new spirit into international policy, and will help to bring the peace which people so passionately desire. 1 ’ THE YOUNG PLAN. CAMPAIGN AGAINST IT IN GERMANY. London, Sept. 3. ‘‘The Times ” Berlin correspondent says: “Taking his stand at Wurzburg beside the monument of Arminius. who led the Germanic tribes against the Roman legions, Herr Hugenberg, the Nationalist leader, inaugurated a campaign planned to culminate in a referendum against the Young plan. Pointing to the sword of Arminius, he declared that Germany’s sword bad been snatched away and would not be restored by the world until their hearts were again strong. A Bavarian speaker said the fight for freedom must be waged, both against the enemy on the Rhine and at home.

The Steelhelmet organisations representative demanded the “inculcation’of the military idea,” and avowed his faith in the sword. Numerous similar Nationalist and Fascist demonstrations were held against the Young plan and the ‘‘war guilt lie,” including a parade of Steelhelmets

The ex-Crown Prince Rupprecht, who was notable for the previous moderation of his public utterances, in a speech at Munich attacking the Young plan, uttered a warning against driving the Germans to desperation. Nevertheless, German sentiment is undoubtedly in favour of The Hague settlement. The Government has received numerous messages of congratulations, notably from the Rhineland, where the German Commissar of occupied territory declared: “Me have now arrived at a new starting point of world history, enabling the Germans to know when they will be free-”