GERMANY MUST PAY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18566, 23 August 1922, Page 5

GERMANY MUST PAY.

FRANCE WILL NOT RELENT. “WE WANT OUR DAMAGES Repaired." “AND THEY SHALL BE." STRIKING SPEECH BY M. POINCARE.

M. Poincare, in a striking speech, said that while France wished to remain the ally of the Allies, she wanted her damages repaired—and they shall be.” Meeeived August 22, 8.30 p in. PARIS, August 21. In the course of a speech at an Unxeiling ceremony on Voie Sacree, at Bar le Due, M. Poincare declared that Britain only said that her unemployment lost her foreign trade. She m sunderstood France’s financial difficulties. M. Poincare complained that every inter-Allied compromise during the last three years had been at France's expense. Britain had made repeated interventions to prevent every effort of France to exert pressure on Germany. Since the Armistice the Allies little by little had shown less polit.cal solidarity. Some nations more imperialistic than France accused her of desiring domination. France did not want land —only the execution of the payment Df war damages. Some allies did not always understand these simple claims. Sometimes, feeling more insecure than d-d France against Bolshevism, they thought they could kill the evil by means of sterile negotiations. At other times they saw only their own paralysed industries. and desired to find foreign markets at any price.

“This is both natural and inevitable,” said M. Poincare, “but what 1 and France cannot understand is why, during the last three years, in the Peace Treaty as well as in contentions following, the agreement most often reached was at the expense of France. It is useless to recall the long list of deceptions inflicted on France by concessions in favour of Germany through the successive whittling down of our claims, and the opposition placed in our path. We advised enforcing the sanctions. it appears to France as if I some allies want to prevent her ; having a French policy. The Bri- * * tish Government is certainly ani-, mated by friendly intentions, but has failed to realise the seriousness of our financial position. In an otherwise courteous note, Bri-

tain reminds us that we are in debt to England. Such a claim surprised us when made at the same moment as Germany an- . uounccd her inability to pay. Britain supported her. With all her dead and devastations. is not France’s voice worthy of hearing when discussing reparations? Must she always bow before the will of the majority of the Allies who were less interested than France?”

M. Poincare declared that Gertnany herself was responsible for the collapse of the mark, which the German Government, bankers and manufacturers had deliberately organised. “She defaulted,” said the French Premier, and 1 proposed that the Allied Governments should collectively enforce the penalties, but the instructions given by some Allies have always been exceptionally lenient. They perhaps respected the letter of the Treaty but constantly abused the spirit of it. It would be monstrous if the reparations Germany owes were to be confounded with the inter-Allied debts. The former ( must have priority. If Britain demands the repayment of our debt, and at the same time delays the payment of reparations, it will necessitate our asking Italy, Rou-

mania and Serbia to pay us what we are asked to pay. We shall not allow ourselves to be placed in such a position. We know well enough the world does not stop at our frontiers. Our policy, though fervently national, is neither narrow nor blind. It would be most stupid if we did not trv to conciliate with a wide, generous European policy. We only ask to remain the allies of Allies and to have our allies’ friends as our friends, resuming with former enemies peaceful and courtly relations, but we want our damages repaired, and they shall be.” Le Temps applauds the speech. It declares that the real obstacles preventing a solution of the European crisis are politicians and the military. Referring to the statement in the British press that Britain will not abandon her claims against France unless the latter reduces the army and navy, Le Temps declares: “These threaten nobody. It is that part of British policy which I surprises M. Poincare. We are con-;

vinced the bulk of the British people w.JI disapprove that policy if France . explains her programme and int-en-j tions.”

SERIOUS EFFECTS PREDICTED. Received August 23, 1.5 a.m. LONDON, August 22. The Daily Chronicler Paris correspondent, commenting on M. Poincaire’s Bar le Due speech, says: i Since he returned he has not pre,viously referred publicly to the differences at the London Conference, •jliis unexpected oratorical offensive I against Britain and the British Government. was made sn a carefully prepared speech, which he read. i There might have been excuse for a I speech so full of bitter words and : insinuations if the London Con- | ference had ruptured the Entente, ilt will not fail to blight the French (Nationalist Press and serve the ini' terests of Anglophpebes, who are preaching rupture of the. Entente and alliance with Germany. M. I Poincaitre declared that France, m facing the Reparations problem, had (encountered difficulties more sur- ! prising than Germany’s bad faith.