REPARATION IMPASSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17730, 15 March 1921, Page 5

REPARATION IMPASSE.

BR. SIMONS SEES WAY OUT. NEW PROPOSALS ADVISED. A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE. ' By Telecraph-Press Aeoociation-Copyrieht ! A- and N.Z. BERLIN. March 13The Reichstag, by 260 votes to 40, car- ' ried a vote of confidence in the Foreign Minister. Dr. Simons, after a speech in which he dealt with the reparations nego- ' tiatious m London. He said that the ! Jxernjfln counterproposals were made on his personal responsibility, from political motives and especially out of considera- \ tion for those towns threatened by the Allies' measures of compulsion. Germany's position was such that she could not expect anything from a rupture of < negotiations: the world's opinion of her , was too unfavourable. The contention that the Versailles Treatv was null and j void because the Allies had torn it up was , wTong. Germany must fulfil the treaty j as fax as was possible, but not further. , "Ws have not blocked the path to fur- ) ther negotiations," said Dr. Simons, "and , we must endeavour to make counter-pro- t nosals on a different basis. After the slap , in the face we have received we cannot 1 offer our hand and say that we will be ; friends." ( In the course of his speech, Dr. Simons admitted that when one heard from the j . Allied delegations in London of the condi- I tions of their countries one must acknow- | ; ledge that their demands were not merely ( the result of the intoxication of victory or i hunger fcr power, but were due to their i extraordinary grave anxieties and needs. 1 Dr. Simons' remarks produced noisy pro- < tests from the Right, countered by ap- i proving shouts from the Left. BRITISH FAIRPLAY. i GERMANS IMPRESSED. ( (Received 10 pan.) Reuter. LONDON, March 13. : General Von Seeckt, giving his impressions of the London conference, said that Mr. Lloyd George intended to bring the negotiations somehow to a positive result, and only reluctantly, after pressure by the French, did he agree to an ultimatum , and the break-up of the conference. General Von Seeckt, contrasting the London ' conference with the Versailles and Spa I conferences, declared that the attitude of i the French and Belgians at Versailles and I Spa toward the Germans, resembled what one might expect from Kaffirs, but the attitude of the English in I°sdon, was in j every way correct and geatlemanly. | •