SNOWDEN TELLS HOW

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 759, 4 September 1929, Page 9

SNOWDEN TELLS HOW

VICTORY AT THE HAGUE DESCRIBED POWERS’ RESPECT WON (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) (United Service) LONDON, Monday. ‘‘This is London calling the British Empire,” was the announcer’s intimation when Mr. Philip Snowden, Chancellor of the Exchequer, faced the microphone at 9.5 a.m. today and described The Hague Conference. Mr. Snowdens’ story was largely a recapitulation of the known facts. However, he disclosed how, on the final day, at 5.45 p.m., he put down under six heads Britain's minimum demands. | M. Jaspar (Belgium), who was the i intermediary, returned in half an hour j with an advance of £IOO,OOO. Mr. Snowden remarked to him:—“At the same rate of progress, you will reach our demands by midnight. A quarter of an hour later M. Jaspar returned with a further advance of £50,000. Mr. Snowden said:—“You are doing first-rate. Be not weary of well-doing.” By 11.35 p.m. M. Jaspar was within £240,000 of Britain’s figure. He said: —“We cannot do more; you have emptied our pockets.” “In a kindly way,” continued Mr. Snowden, “I said, ‘Go through your pockets again; I am sure you will find enough to meet what is between us/ M. Jaspar replied:—‘You are too hard; I have never seen a man like you; you are what we in our country call a type.' “Then someone had a brain-wave, and we got what vre wanted at midnight. The conference was saved.” In closing, Mr. Snowden said:—“l think it will make a profound impression on our relations with Europe. There will be no reversion to the spineless policy of recent years. We reasserted Britain’s rights under international agreements. We won the respect of the other Powers. “The agreement will liberate the countries of Europe to pursue economic reconstruction. Above all, The Hague conference b rought a new spirit into international policy. It will help to bring that peace the people so passionately desire.”

TO FIGHT YOUNG PLAN

GERMAN NATIONAL PARTY CAMPAIGN FAITH IN THE SWORD Times Cable. LONDON, Monday. The Berlin correspondent of “The Times” states that Herr Alfred Hugenberg, chairman of the German National People’s Party, today inaugurated a campaign against the Young reparation plan, intended to culminate in a referendum on the subject. Taking his stand at Wurzburg, Bavaria, alongside the monument to Arminius, who led the Germanic tribes against the Roman legions, Herr Hugenberg pointed to the sword of Arminius. He said Germany’s sword had been snatched away and would not be restored by the world until their hearts again were strong. A Bavarian speaker said the fight for freedom must be waged both against the enemy on the Rhine and the enemy at home. A representative of the Steel Helmets organisation demanded the inculcation of the military idea. He avowed his faith in the sword. Numerous similar Nationalist and Fascist demonstrations were made against the Young plan and the “warguilt lie,” including parades by the Steel Helmets. The ex-Crown Prince Rupprecht, notable for the previous moderation of his public utterances, made a speech at Munich attacking the Young plan. He uttered a warning against driving the Germans to desperation and Bolshevism. Nevertheless, German sentiment undoubtedly supports The Hague settlement. The Government has received numerous messages of congratulation, notably from the Rhineland. The German Commissar of the Occupied Territory wrote: “We have now arrived at a new starting point in the world’s history which enables Germans to know when they will be free.”

MILCH COW NO LONGER

BRITAIN’S POSITION MADE CLEAR British Official Wireless Reed. 11.35 a.m. RUGBY, Tuesday. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Philip Snowden, in a speech broadcast by wireless last night, reviewed the work of The Hague Conference. He explained that the distribution of reparation payments proposed by the Young Committee would have reduced Great Britain’s share by £2,400,000 yearly for 37 years, largely for the advantage of Italy. The British Government also took strong exception to the proposed division of the German annuities into conditional and unconditional annuities, with priority provisions in favour of other countries. He learned afterward that the heads of the other principal delegations had never fully realised what Great Britain was expected to sacrifice under the Young Plan. He had to remind the conference that no single country engaged in the war had made a sacrifice at all approaching Britain’s financial sacrifices, and to recall Britain’s magnanimous settlement with the Allies. Britain had gained by the agreement, which ultimately reached £2 000,000 yearly, of which 90 per cent, was guaranteed, and he had also obtained a larger share of unconditional annuities. A very substantial improvement with regard to delivery in kind was effected by the agreement with Italy. They desired the world to know that Britain could no longer he regarded as the milch cow of Europe, and that this country’s international rights should be asserted. Their voluntary sacrifice of a share of the unconditional annuities had won for Britain the ardent gratitude and respect of smaller nations. The conference had done much to j liquidate the legacies of war, and to ! enable the countries of Europe to | pursue economic reconstruction.