German Reparations.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 31 January 1921, Page 3

German Reparations.

ALLIES AGREE ON POLICY. Paris, January 29.

The situation at the Allied Conference was critical during the afternoon, ~i.r Lloyd George threatening to leave for London. Lord Dhibernou (British Ambassador in Paris) intervened, and secured certain amendments to* the Trench plans, which improved the situation.

The reparations terms include 12 annuities, dating from May, 1921. The ifirfct two will be of £100,01)0,000, three of £200,000,000, three of £250,000,000, and 31 of £300,000,000. Britain’s share will be £2,486,000,000. Britain’s share will be 22 per cent and Germany will also pay 12J per cent on all her exports, but there will be no fixed sum which Germany shall finally pay. The iSupreme Council will meet tomorrow to conclude an agreement, which will then be sent to Germany without discussion with the German delegates. The correspondents claim that the result is a triumph for Mr Lloyd George, as the proposal generally corresponds to the Boulogne Agreement. The Conference later adopted the Reparations report, and decided to meet th© German representatives at a .conference in London on 28th February. The proces verbal was signed at five in the evening. The Allies passed a resolution that they arc convinced) that a close-union is as necessary to the pieservation of peace as to win the wai, and they are determined to allow nothing to impair it. Such a union is the surest guarantee of the execution of treaties, and fidelity to international engagements agreed to in connection therewith was also stressed- . Later. The Premiers’ Conference has concluded. The penalties for Germany’s non-fulfilment of the disarmament conditions wilj. be the Allied occupation of the Ruhr, and the extension of the period of occupation of the Rhine, the seizure of Customs revenue and the refusal of the Allies to allow Germany to join the League of Nations. A further conference will be held at Trieste shortly, to which the small nations of Central Europe will be invited for the purpose of reaching an agreement on Austrian -affairs. Received this day, 8.45 a.m. London, January 29.

It is freely rumoured that Mr ,Ll°yd George told) M. Briand that, unless he disavowed M. Ooumer’s proposals, the British delegates would pack up and go home. Mr Lloyd George repeatedly declared, in the course of Thursday s proceedings, that it was impossible to continue negotiations on the basis of M. Doumer’s speech, and insisting that the Boulogne agreement must form the foundation for settlement of the reparations. Ho declined to admit that the new French Cabinet was not hound by the preceding Cabinet’s engagements.