REPORT OF EXPERT COMMITEE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18290, 13 June 1929, Page 9

REPORT OF EXPERT COMMITEE.

Revision Of Reparations. COMMENT BY “THE TIMES.” (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 10. Commenting on the report of the Committee of Experts on Reparations, “The Times” emphasises the importance to the future of Europe and of the world of the results achieved. “On the economic side of the report opens the road to the final liquidation, through ordinary channels, of commercial transactions,” “The Times” states: “It renders obsolete once and for all the political method of handling the work as a purely economic problem, which has wrought such untold harm during the past ten years. It carries the process of reconcliatlon which was initiated at Locarno one step farther and opens the door to the evacuation of the Rhineland. The fact that the figures in the report are calculated on the assumption that German payments for the armies in occupation will cease on November 1 cannot be wholly without significance. “So far as this country is concerned the report will be welcomed with genuine relief and sincere satisfaction, though not perhaps with enthusiasm. However regrettable the necessity for the sacrifices to be made by Britain may be, the price which has been paid for settlement is certainly not too high.” The “Manchester Guardian” says that although the report may not have solved the whole problem of reparations for ever, yet for practical purposes it may now be regarded as having been put on a business footing. The “Guardian” states: “From the British standpoint the main feature of the scheme is that it enables us to give effect to the principle of the Balfour Note, that our receipts shall be equal to but no more than our payments to America, but only does this by wiping out the whole of our accumulated excess of payments over receipts. It seems that the sacrifice of these arrears has meant the surrender of something over £6,000,000 annually. If it Is a fact that under no other circumstances could an agreement have been obtained, the sacrifice was certainly worth while from an International standpoint. The terms of this settlement, assuming that it is ratified by the Governments, are immense. The International Bank will for the first time render possible the policy advocated at the Genoa Conference in 1922, and may be a decisive influence in the development of a world financial policy. The “Daily Telegraph” after emphasising the extent of British sacrifices in order to achieve unanimity, says: “Acceptance of the report is hardly to be doubted. The work has been too well and thoroughly done. Arguments in favour of a final settlement on the basis so carefully and scientifically prepared are too strong for any Government to accept responsibility for the disaster of failure at the last stage.”

FRENCH GOVERNMENTS DECISION. ACCEPTANCE OF REPORT. (United Press Association—By Electrlo Telegraph—Copyright.) (Received June 12, 9.30 p.m.) PARIS, June 12. The French Government has decided to accept, in Its present form, the expert reparation report, and continue the policy of peaceful understanding with Germany, iniated at Locarno. It is understood that M. Briand is proposing a conference at London, in July or August, after which the adoption of the experts report, and its logical consequences would be discussed. These include the evacuation of the two remaining zones in the Rhineland, and the establishing of some form of control by the League, to assure that Germany carries out her treaty obligation to maintain a neutral zone on the Rhine. Parliament will also be asked to give M. Poincare authority immediately to ratify the two war debt agreements between France and Britain, and France and the United States, on both of which, M. Poincaire will stake the fate of the Government.

NEW CONFERENCE PROPOSED. FACING WAR DEBT PROBLEMS. (United PrefA Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) MADRID, June 11. M. Briand and Dr Stressemann will shortly confer with Mr Macdonald on the subject of convening an International Conference at mid-summer, either at London, Paris, or Baden, composed of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium and Japan, with the object of liquidating the war problems outstanding after the Paris reparations conference, such as the Rhineland evacuation.