CO-ORDINATE PLAN

Northern Advocate, 5 August 1924, Page 5

CO-ORDINATE PLAN

HOMELAND AND OVERSEAS.

OCTOBER GATHERING.

CONSULTATIVE PARLEY.

OTTAWA, August 3

The mystification, which is said to exist in Australia concerning the suggested round-table conference of statesmen of Empire to be held in London in October, is shared to some extent in Ottawa. Such a conference was suggested by the Secretary for the Colonies, Mr J. H. Thomas, in a cable - gram, but there was no formal invitation and no acceptance.

The only word received here so far is the announcement made by Mr Thomas in the House of Commons. Officials print out that it was announced "that Mr Thomas intended to sail shortly for South Africa. Under present conditions it seemed unlikely that a conference could be held in October to decide major issues. The Colonial Office states that there is an extraordinary misunderstanding somewhere. Every Dominion received a cabled invitation in June. The majority of the Premiers promptly replied, including Mr S. M. Bruce himself.

iSince June no further communication has been issued from the Colonial Office. Mr Thomas, however, made his statement in Parliament on July 29 suggesting October as possibly a convenient date for the conference.

It is not intended to be another Imperial Conference requiring the attendance of Prime Ministers, but merely a consultative gathering for the purposes of drawing up a plan for coordination between Britain and the Dominions in foreign and inter-Im-perial affairs, as distinct from domestic politics.—A. and N.Z.

ECONOMIC EFFECTS.

UNDER THE DAWES PLAN. GERMAN MINISTER'S VIEW. (Received 1.50 p.m.) LONDON, August 4. The "Morning Post's" Berlin corlespondent interviewed Dr Harmnn, Minister of Economic Affairs, regarding the possibility of the Dawes plan dislocating world trade. Dr Harman said: "Whoever wants reparations

must not complain about German exports, but it is an over-statement to say that Germany is going, to floods the world with manufactured goods The industrial crisis in Germany is growing seriously. Every day the tide' of unemployment is rising. Trade unions report that half their members nre on short time. Though German industrial apparatus was intact after the war, we have lost touch with the; world markets. The shortage of money has swallowed up working capital and prevented modernisation of plants. Above all, the purchasing capacity of home buyers has been annihilated.

"The Dawes report therefore is accurate. We must have long- term credits to prevent collapse. Until Germany lias a strong buying public:* at home her capacity to export must' be weak. It will be long before German industry will be a menace to those countries whose capital resources have not been undermined." —A. and N.Z.

INVOKING OF SANCTIONS.

LOAN UNDISTURBED

(Eeceived 1.15 p.m.)

LONDON, August 4,

Mr Mac Donald stated that the Conference had agreed to elaborate a series of stipulations with a view to restoring the fiscal and economic unity of Germany, including restoration of full powers of German administration regarding customs, commerce and rail-

ways, to operate fully not later than Cfctober 15, also reciprocal amnesty for acts done by individuals in consequence of events since January 11, Disputed interpretations of the experts' report and the Conference agreement would be referred to a committee of jurists.

The Allied Governments had agreed that in the evV?nt of taking sanctions they must act as trustees for all interests created by the experts' report and especially they must not damage security for the loan of £40,000,000.

Questioned regarding the action which the Governments might take' with reference to sanctions in the event of declaration of default, Mr Mac-Donald said that matters remained as they were left by the Treaty of Versailles, which said that when Governments failed to agree it was possible for them to pursue their own policy. Tt was obviouslv most unsatisfactory, but the whole situation would be eased :f they could get the state of unanimity necessary before default was declared. Members might rest assured that the question of sanctions was uulikelv to arise in a hurry.

The lonn would not be floated under the auspices of the 'Government and tl;° bankers must consult the German rep : resentatives with regard to security before they could definitely say whether they would float it. -

"RpTilyinor to Mr Lloyd George the Prime Minister emphatically adhered to the view of the late Government that Fvrturo's senavato action was not sane-