SENSATIONAL SPEECH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17181, 26 October 1923, Page 4

SENSATIONAL SPEECH.

GENERAL SMUTS’S REMARKS. By leleg^ra-pli—Press Association—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, October 24. The dijilomatic correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says: “General Smuts’s speech has caused a profound sensation in diplomatic circles. Its significance is heightened by the simultaneous utterance of the American Ambassador. That simultaneity was not a coincidence, but the outcome of joint and careful consideration, which explains the prominence given to General Smuts's declarations by tho American. Press. “ Colonel Harvey’s reiteration, on behalf of President C’oolidge, of a conditional offer of co-operation, synchronises with a renewed attempt by Britain to secure France’s assent to tho appointment of a commission of experts, with an American chairman, to consider reparations. These aro the negotiations to which General Smuts alluded. They are now in progress, but ar .° . shaping well, M. Poincare declining to commit himself, and raising all sorts of difficulties. N “ General Smuts’s proposal for a wider international conference has not yet led to formal negotiations, but a meeting of Allied Premiers has been informally broached by Belgium. M. Poincare is even less likely to be drawn into this conference than to the sanctioning of the appointment of an expert commission. The French Premier contends that reparations issues can be dealt with by the Reparations Commission, and that no revision of the German debt can be affected except by unanimous agreement of the Governments concerned. He will not sanction any reduction, except within the limits he has previously laid down. “ The conference, which General Smuts proposes, would comprehensively revise and re-settle the original peace terms, and the original treaty would lapse.” The “ Morning Post ’ states General Smuts’s allusion to an international conference was based on the fact that the British Government, some days ago. addressed to the Versailles Treaty signatories a series of despatches suggesting that the time had arrived when tho United States might be asked to confer on the subject of reparations and cognate matters. The “Morning Post” understands that no replies have yet been received.

AMERICAN ATTITUDE

WASHINGTON, October 24. President Coolidge has intimated that Colonel Harvey’s speech in London reflected the Administration's attitude completely. The President’s friends stated that the American Ambassador might have used even stronger language to express the view, regarding the maintenance of a large army, that the American people and Government are not going to let Governments abroad spend huge sums for armaments, at American expense. Reiteration is made of the futility of expecting the United States to enter into any arrangement for a settlement of European affairs which will involve cancellation of European debts to the United States. The Government, furthermore, believes that the European trouble cannot be solved until the reparntions problem has been definitely settled. It is understood that the United States attitude on reparations was accurately outlined in Colonel Harvey’s speech in London. It is hoped here that German abandonment of passive resistance may open the way to negotiations such as those outlined in Mr Hughes’s speech a year ago. _______________________