AMERICA ANNOYED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18547, 3 November 1923, Page 11

AMERICA ANNOYED.

jIfQUI-Bi JEOPARDISED. .■'■.■■■. HEW FRENCH LIMITATIONS. I SUiIPRISE IN WASHINGTON. | CONDITIONS UNACCEPTABLE I THREAT OF WITHDRAWAL. Bt Telegraph—Press AMOciation— (Received 8.13 p.m.) A. and N.Z. WASHINGTON, Not. 3. It is increasingly evident that the French Foreign Office's interpretation of M. Point-are's latest speech at Nevers has shocked and surprised official Washington. Officials here believed that M. J'oincaro had accepted the plan for an inquiry by experts into the reparation problem, reserving only French rights under the Versailles . Treaty and insisting that the committee should function under the Reparation Commission. To what extent M. Poincaro now proposes to limit the scope of Clio inquiry and the influence of American participation is not indicated, but officials are of opinion that .?-;v plan not providing for full examination of Genrnny's capacity to pay would be an abortive effort. The United States does not share the view attributed to M, Foincare that Germany's debt is fixed and unchangeable. M. Poincarei's speech at Nevers to-day appears to have broken Mr. .0. E. Hughes' equanimity. Mr. Hughen, since the week-end has silently accepted M. Poincare's various utterances intimating conditions to limit the effectiveness of the comnrittos of experts. The State Department has also taken pains on severs! occasions to coirect statements that the French attitude was unsatisfactory, but M. Poincare's latest utterances aro considered incompatible with the conditions indicated in the' correspondence between Mr. Hughes and the Marquis Curson. Mr. ■ Hughes intimates that the United States will refuse to become involved in an abortive investigation, and he fears that M. Poincare's conditions will tend to that result. Officials still hope however, that France will not block Hie proposed investigation. It is felt that Franco can never expect to secure any reparations if the present situation continues, whereas Germany can be expected to begin payments after tho experts have reached their conclusions. Statements attributed to M. Poincare in despatches from Paris indicating the desire of Uje French Government to restrict narrowly the scope of the proposed inquiry by experts into - the reparation problem, have occasioned considerable concern in official quarters here. It is authoritatively stated that the restrictions outlined are not in accord with the suggestion of Mr. C. E. Hughes. There . is every indication that if France insists upon a formula preventing full inquiry into Germany's capacity to pay the success of the present negotiations will be seriously jeopardised in the eyes of the . United States Administration. POINCARE'S NEW DEMAND. SCOPE OF EXPERT INQUIRY. PRESENT CAPACITY TO PAY. Australian *nd N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 9.5 p.m.) ' LONDON, Nov. 1. The Paris correspondent of r the Morn- ' ing Post states that M. Poincare's reply to Britain emphasises that it should be made clear in the invitation to the United States that the object of the committee of experts will not be to examine into the capacity of payment by Germany," bus into Germany's present capacity to pay. The French view is, and always has been, that Germany will be capable sooner or later of paying £6,600,000,000 in full,, which is the amount fixed by the Separation Commission in May, 1921.., M. Poincare, in a speech at Nevers, again charged Germany with organising 1 bankruptcy -though her resources were immense. The last spasm of resistance in "the Ruhr was now being witnessed, he declared. After , referring to the resumption of work by. officials, railwaymen and others in. the Ruhr and the increasing deliveries of coal, he declared that France was beginning to receive a reward for her efforts. It was therefore not the moment for a change of line ;of action, and France would not change. • {■■ M. Poincare reifer?ted his reservations regarding the proposed committee of experts and concluded : " What injustice and peril would be involved if Germany were freed from a portion of her debt and in a' few years reappeared, restocked jmd enriched, to humiliate France. We must not let the treaty be touched." APPEAL TO; AMERICANS. ; BROTHERHOOD WITH EUROPE. .. ... : —r~ , Australian and N.Z. : Cable Association. (Reed. 6.50 v.m.) , . NEW YOItK, Nov. 1. Speaking at a civic luncheon in Philadelphia Mr. Lloyd George made an impassioned appeal to Americans, " because . you are formed in the same image of God as are Europeans, we are brethren. I ask you not to leave Europe to burn herself out." ;.;-„■. •.,,■: x .