A SUCCESSFUL CONFERENCE

Western Star, 22 August 1924, Page 2

A SUCCESSFUL CONFERENCE

After some moments of tension amisome, but comparatively few, the Lon- - don Conference on the Dawes report and reparations has ended in agreement i among the Powers concerned. Though 'the effect of the'protocol arrived at has only been given so far in general terms, there seems reason for considering the result as the best month’s work of a conference which has been done since the Treaty of Versailles. An agreement was reached at the result <>l the. Anglo-Soviet Convention, but it is not clear yet that that was more than a superficial agreement, meant to save the face of the MacDonald Cloveminent. This one apparently goes to the root of matters, and Mr ltamsay MacDonald’s reputation as a Foiei.n Minister will be enhanced accordingly, the S recommendations of the Dawes report ‘for the rehabilitation of German flnanjees and the payment of reparations ihave been agreed t°- Freift’h groups are ■to evacuate the .11 bur within twelve ! months, but that is a maximum period, lit may he shortened if the French ; Government is persuaded that Germany i is carrying out its obligations in good 'faith and a spirit of conciliation, that ! prospect wjll depend to- some extent on 'tii© Government that may rule in iFrance before the twelve months have ielapsed. It would probably be much .easier for the Germans to convince M. Harriot and his <•• licagucs that | they were acting hones Gy tmin t° I afford the same conviction ,o M. loinIcare and his stalwarts i! they should return to power. One of the weak points of the settlement ’ll} regard to the determining of ■ auctions, or coercion ,which will iv allowable m the event- of default, vh-eh might be great or small, on the nmt of Germany being recorded by the a'lufral tnbunal. If the Governments' are nab o agree upon that matter it will be left _ to them to take each ; to own action, ‘which Mr MacDonald has admitted to he a most satisfactory arrangement. There is, one safeguard, however, the .Governments stand pledged that in the *©v©nt of taking siiiictioiiiij they must

' consider tlie common interests, with j special care that they shall not damage jthe security for the loan. There will he the least fear, therefore, of French 'troops being marched hack into the .Ruhr after they have < ace marched : out of it. The Germans/ were most anxious that an undertaking should he given beforehand that the evacuation would be completed in less than six months.. They were unable to obtain so much,; , hut it should give joy to 'Germany, j | and 'also increased assurance of still j I further relief to come, that those | towns which the French seized beyond ■ | the Ruhr in the earlier months of hast year for the purpose of extending! their grip on the country s vital ar- 1 terics are to he restored to them just as soon as the protocol has been |

signed. So far the annexes to it have; been mi\v initialed. They will he signed when they have been ratified by the French and German Parliaments Those endorsements seem unlikely / to he denied, hut the Dawes plan will he subject to more jeojardy when those parts in particular the provisions for the international control of railways, I which require an alteration of the Constitution of Germany, come before the j. Reichstag. A two-third-, majority of j that body will he necessary for their iadoption. The Nationalists have much | reason .to believe that they can wrecn. I the scheme if they choose. They have : not. veasod to declare their hostility ito it. Tlie Chancellor might seek to | frustrate tlieir designs by dissolving; 1 he i Reichstag and" c ’.l ing for new elections, the result of which would be very much of an uncertainty, or the Nationalists! may give in to'circumstances. They will be had Germans, as well as had Kuropeans, if they continue to resist a plan which means as much to Germany as it does to the Allies.