WAR GUILT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 174, 8 July 1932, Page 7

WAR GUILT

FRANCO-GERMAN AGREEMENT BEPORTED FROM LAUSANNE. PLENARY CONFERENCE TO BE CALLED. (United Frees Association—By CableCopyright.) (Received 8, 11.40 a.m.) London, July 7. The British United Press Lausanne correspondent understands that a Franco-German agreement has been reached on the war guilt problem. A final plenary conference is being held either on Friday or Saturday. BRITISH PREMIER’S EFFORTS. (Received 8, 12.30 p.m.) Rugby, July 7. The strenuous efforts made by Mr. MacDonald to bridge the narrow g:/p separating German and French views on the main subject in dispute at the Lausanne Reparations Conference were continued until 11 o’clock last night, when the meeting of the principal delegates was abruptly adjourned, Mr. MacDonald being compelled to retire to bed with a nervous headache. The fact that M. Boncour was called in to participate in the conversations was interpreted as an indication that determined efforts are being made to solve the difficulties. Mr. MacDonald is still suffering from a severe headache and after breakfast this morning returned to bed. It is anticipated, however, that he will be well enough to meet the French and German Ministers later. ■'DEADLOCK WITHOUT QUALIe FICATION.’’ (Received 8, 12.25 p.m.) London, July 7. “The Times” Lausanne correspondent says: “‘Deadlock without qualification’ is the only description of the situation after to-day’s negotiations. Not an inch of progress has been made. The conference’s hesitations and in decisions when within a stone’s throw of settlement are almost incredible.” EARLIER FORECAST. London, July 7. Despite the unpromising adjournment of negotiations on Wednesday night, the latest Lausanne reports forecast that an agreement is possible in a few hours on Thursday, probably on the basis of the German payment of £150,000,000 and a declaration that the cancellation of reparations abrogates part 8 of the Versailles Treaty without specifically mentioning the actual war guilt article. “The Times,” in an editorial, says: “All the facts are known and the time has eome for a decision, which is only attainable by mutual concession. M. Herriot and Herr von Papen have shown sweet reasonableness and brought a settlement within reach. Any reasonable terms should be counted to the negotiators’ credit by their own public and Parliamentary opinion.”