The Star. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1923. THE FIRMNESS OF M. POINCARE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17192, 8 November 1923, Page 6

The Star. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1923. THE FIRMNESS OF M. POINCARE.

The British Government and a section of the British Press are working themselves into a state of hysterical sentimentality about Germany’s " capacity to pay.” They keep on telling France that in pressing for the full amount of reparations she is behaving cruelly to a sincerely repentant sinner who is now a perfectly estimable member of society. France is constantly being urged to consent to a conference which will estimate Germany’s capacity to pay. France has seen enough of these conferences. She found out that the only tangible purpose they served was to whittle down Germany’s liability. If there were another conference the reparations might disappear altogether. Germany has plotted bow to escape payment ever since the Versailles Treaty was imposed on her. The Ruhr resistance was financed with the avowed object of preventing the payment of reparations. Why should France, or any other of the Allied nations, inquire into ihe capacity to pay of a fraudulent bankrupt, whose bankruptcy is the direct result of a deliberate policy? The attitude of America towards France is nothing short of extraordinary. America it quite willing to discuss reparations—that is, help Germany to escape as far as possible—hut insists that debts owing to America must not be discussed. America intends to collect every dollar from France, even as she is now collecting from Britain, and she is quite able to feel generous towards Germany’s liabilities to France and Britain. Britain will be paying millions to America for fifty years or more. Why there should be such a vehement desire on the pari of Britain to help her most deadly enemy against the closest friend remains a mystery. A Germany freed from her debts will he a Germany able and willing to drive Britain out of the world’s markets. In the interests of the British Empire, as well as of France, we hope that M. Poincare, who has a stiff" backbone, will keep on presenting his hill, and see that it is paid. No case can he made out for the relief of the devastators of Europe.