GERMANS’ PLEA

Taranaki Daily News, 10 June 1931, Page 5

GERMANS’ PLEA

ATTAINED THEIR PURPOSE MINISTERS’ LONDON VISIT DISCUSSION BY NATIONS RECEPTION BY THE KING PRIENDLY RELATIONS HIP By Telegraph—Press Assn.— Copyright. Rec. 5.30 p.m. London, June 8. The Daily Telegraph’s Berlin correspondent states that the German Government circles are satisfied that the Ministers in London attained their purpose at Chequers, where they fully expounded the Germans’ difficulties to Messrs MacDonald, Henderson, Graham and Montague Norman with the result that the subject has become a matter of international discussion.

Interest in Berlin centres on the question whether the emergency economy decree will operate as it stands or come before an early meeting of the Reichstag. It is the opponents of the democracy who arc demanding the latter course, hoping, of course, that the decree may somehow be vetoed and the Government overthrown. Well-informed people agree this would lead to a most serious situation, possibly entailing financial chaos. MINISTERS AT ROYAL PALACE CONVERSATIONS AT CHEQUERS. British Wireless. Rugby, June 8. Dr. Bruening and Dr. Curtins wci c received in audience by the King. .It is the first time since before the war that a member of the German Cabinet has been received at Buckingham Palace. Later they were guests at a luncheon of the Anglo-German Society and attended a reception in their honour at the Royal Institute of International AfWelcoming them, Sir Neill Malcolm accepted their presence as an indication of their approval of the work of the institute in stimulating the scientific study of international affairs in the hope that it might contribute towards the removal of international misundeistandings and promote the welfare of the world. Dr. Bruening, replying, expressed warm appreciation of the work of the institute. Referring to the friendly talks at Chequers he said that mutual cooperation between all the countries concerned to try to improve the existing economic situation had been agieed upon. He was sure that the spirit of understanding would find an echo in the public opinion of the world. . The Daily Telegraph's diplomatic editor, outlining the conclusions at the Chequers conversations, says the Ministers came to the conclusion that the time was not ripe for calling a flesh international conference to examine a new reparations plan, and still less war debts. The key to the whole situation is whether America will agree to a suspension of Allied debts during the next few years. It is realised in both London and Berlin that it would be an invidious and inopportune step to make a formal request for America’s assent, especially in view of the prevailing economic crisis in the United States.

A Berlin message states that the concensus of opinion in the newspapers is that while the Chequers conference has a psychological significance it will be without result.

ATTITUDE OIF UNITED STATES.

CONCERNED ONLY WITH PAYMENT

Washington, June <B. The official United States attitude towards the new German reparations developments is that primarily it is a European problem. Washington is prepared to wait and see. It does not much care what the other Allied nations do about reparations, but the United States is concerned with the payment of war debts. A semi-official statement comes from Senator Borah, who flatly favours a revision of the German reparations agi cement. When asked whether the United States should share in the good work by making it easier for the Allied nations to forgo reparations by cancelling the war debts he replied in the affirmative, but with the reservation that Europe should reduce armaments in a large way.