FRIENDLY, BUT FIRM

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 302, 21 December 1931, Page 1

FRIENDLY, BUT FIRM

British Tariff Barriers to Remain. REPLIES SENT TO EUROPE. United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. BERLIN, December 19. Although sympathising with the German claim for a discussion on the new British duties, Britain has informed Germany that at present she does not see her way to negotiate as withdrawal is impossible. The German reply maintains that she is entitled to a free hand in subsequent measures. The Centre Party in the Prussian Diet is already demanding a restriction of imports of British coal as a retaliatory measure. A British Note to France reminds France that Britain’s open door to imports helped to keep European trade going, but the tariff policy of other countries no longer justified continuance of that course. Britain could not afford longer to carry immense burdens in the interest of others. A general settlement of war debts and reparations must be faced The Note explains Britain’s attitude on war debts and reparations, and emphasises the point that British loans to Germany since the war have kept Germany solvent, and Europe stable. France’s reparations from Germany have been paid from money lent by Britain to the Berlin Government. The Note is quite friendly, and deals only with principles, leaving details to be settled by an international conference in the new year.