BRITISH DIPLOMACY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19258, 23 August 1924, Page 9

BRITISH DIPLOMACY

MR MACDONALD’S LONE HAND' MINISTERS GROW RESTIVE. FRICTION IN THE CABINET Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, August 21. (Received August 22, at 8 p.m.) Although Mr Snowden repudiates the idea that his public declaration that he is profoundly dissatisfied with the London Agreement because it does not provide for the immediate evacuation of the Ruhr means a split in the Cabinet, it is known that the friction, between him and Mr MacDonald has reached a crisis. Mr Snowden, as Chancellor, has ranged himself alongside the hard-headed bankers, who do not share Mr MacDonald’s idealism and are unlikely to subscribe to the German loan unless the Ruhr is evacuated, giving Germany her economic freedom. Mr Snowden is also opposing Mr MacDonald’s Anglo-Soviet agreement, and will not countenance the Exchequer guaranteeing a loan to Russia. It is learned that Mr Clynes and Mr Thomas also oppose the Anglo-Soviet agreement, which was the outcome of Mr MacDonald’s eleventh hour intervention in the negotiations. Mr MacDonald did not inform his Ministerial colleagues oi what he had committed the Cabinet to until the agreement was an accomplished fact, and Ministers resent his assumption of independent powers. The Labourites are afraid that the House of Commons will reject the agreement and force an early election on the Soviet issue, which would be disadvantageous to them instead of the Government loosing its own time and selecting a favourable election cry.— A. and N.Z. Cable. FRANCO-GERMAN TREATY. FEARS FOR BRITAIN’S INTERESTS. LONDON, August 21. (Received August 22, at 8 p.m.) The Daily Express says that important revelations relating to the proposed Franco-Gcrman treaty were made by Mr MacDonald in the following telegram to the Daily Express regarding tho commercial treaty:—“Our Departments concerned have been instructed to prepare reports. M. Herriot has undertaken to communicate to mo the proposals which he makes to Germany for my observation. Tho Daily Express adds; “It is now apparent that Mr MacDonald shares Mr Snowden’s view that the treaty proposal constitutes a serious threat to British trade. When the French delegates submitted tentative proposals to th.e Germans last week everv effort was made to keep them secret. Hie British Government was not officially informed of the matter. Mr MacDonald has scored an important point by securing M. Herriot’s uromise to communicate the actual proposals.”—A. and N.Z. Cable.