ADAMANT.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 323, 16 January 1932, Page 1

ADAMANT.

FRANCE WILL NEVER SUBMIT.

M. Herriot Defends Policy. GERMANY MUST MAKE REPARATION. United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received January 16, 11.30 am.) LONDON, January 15. M. Herriot, in a special copyright article to the North American News Agency, says that Dr Bruning’s declaration has rendered almost impossible the establishment of a loyal and reasonable Franco-German reconciliation. “We feel that it Is not possible longer to believe in the legitimacy of a contract if its signatures can thus be contested. What is to become of international morality in the face of temporary ills? Are we returning to a regime of scraps of paper? Germany considers that she is paying tribute in paying for the consequences of the ruins she has accumulated, the fires she lit and the sufferings she has inflicted. “We can understand a policy of destruction for military reasons, but when a beaten Germany, forced to fall back, lays waste for pleasure a city such as Cambrai, is she not bound to make reparation? If not, it would be necessary to abolish the idea of duty and condemn humanity to live like beasts under the protection of force alone. Frenchmen will never submit to such a view. “It would be an injustice to interpret Britain’s silence as approval. Dr Bruning wanted to frighten us, but Frenchmen do not yield to fear."

REPARATIONS FINISHED. Opinion Growing that They Must be Ended. LONDON, January 15. The “Financial News” says that a feeling is steadily growing that whatever precise course is taken at the Lausanne Conference, reparations are finished. " Not all the intransigeance and obstructiveness of France will avail to keep them alive.** This feeling has been strengthened, says the paper, not only by Signor Mussolini's articles, but by the reports that the British Cabinet is in entire agreement with the city that the reparations must be ended rather than mended. This may be facilitated by a short instead of a long extension of the moratorium to enable the Governments concerned to tackle the final proposal. BRITAIN HARDEST HIT. LONDON, January 14. The Daily Mail,” commenting on Sir Walter Layton’s speech, says that Britain would be the hardest hit by the wiping out of war debt burdens, and collapse would not be long delayed. 44 We cannot hold all the troublesome babies for the universe, or serve any longer as Europe’s fairy godmother,” the article adds.