REPARATIONS PROBLEM.

Waikato Times, Volume 96, Issue 15361, 9 October 1923, Page 5

REPARATIONS PROBLEM.

SPEECH BY CHANCELLOR. ACCEPTING THE INEVITABLE. RESISTANCE IMPOSSIBLE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn. BERLIN, October 7. In a speech in the Reichstag, Dr. Stresemann, defending the abandonment of passive resistance, said the situation with which the Government was confronted when he assumed office was that passive resistance was no longer at its strongest, and the French and the Belgians were not to be brought out of the occupied region by resistance alone. The weaker resistance became the more difficult it was to realise it diplomatically for Germany. The Government's effort had been to And a formula making possible the abandonment of resistance and the substitution of political . negotiations; but the task could not bo effected. If the Government thought that by continuing passive resistance it could have achieved something valuable to German freedom it would have continued it; but the country was in such financial chaos that the day was near on which the German mark /would cease to be a means of payment, not only abroad, but at home. The sole possibility of a solution of the reparations problem lay in an agreement with the Allies on the one side, and Germany on the other. The French Government could illustrate its goodwill by entering into negotiations now that passive resistance was abandoned.

LONDON, October 8

The Daily Chroniclo's Berlin correspondent says that much is hoped from Dr. Poeth, the new Minister for National Economy, an exceedingly energetic man and an able administrator, who carried out the stupendous work of demobilising the German army in 1918. He undoubtedly saved the country from collapse into chaos. The hero of the crisis, however, is Dr. Stresemann, who showed a superhuman capacity for hard, unbroken work and untiring skill. He refused to acknowledge defeat, and finally made a speech without any notes, which was one of the most brilliant ever delivered in the Reichstag. The Left continually interrupted him, and the Right was noisy, but the Chancellor fought them down. A striking passage was his accusation of prominent business men, who refused to help the German Governments by co-operating with the Ministries.

ANGLO-FRENCH CO-OPERATION.

SPEECH BY M. POINCARE.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn. PARIS, October 7

M. Poincarc delivered two speeches to-day, composed some time ago, and consequently lie did not refer to Lord Curzon's statement. Speaking at Ligny-en-Barrois, he declared that France was not responsible for the German crisis. Whoever controlled Germany's destinies tomorrow France would continue to demand permanent guarantees for security and the total of her reparations. France would he ready to listen to definite proposals when' she observed on the spot that passive resistance had ceased and deliveries due to them were arriving regularly. As it was to Germany's interest that Ruhr industryshould not be penalised she was bound finally to come to a settlement. He did not believe any more than Mr Stanley Baldwin that there was between the French and British viewpoints an unbridgeable gulf. The French programme remained unaltered, but it counted for much that friendly and frank conversations such as he had recently had with Mr Baldwin should be renewed occasionally to tighten the tics of the entente. However jmportant the reparations question was, it was not the only question with which Britain and France had to deal in common. Only recently,, by loyal cooperation in conference with the Ambassadors and the League of Nations, the two allies had contributed to allay conflicts which might have disturbed the peaco of Europe. He hoped that in regard to the settlement of compensation for France and the liquidation of the inter-Allied debts' good intentions might soon be translated into successful realities. If France did not relax her firmness she would obtain the satisfaction to which she was entitled.

FRANCE WILL NOT YIELD. PAYMENTS MUST BE MADE. . Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn. LONDON, October 8.

The Daily Chronicle's diplomatic correspondent states that M. Poincare sent a well-known journalist on a mission to Berlin. The journalist saw Dr. Stresemann beforo the meeting- of the 'Reichstag and informed him that M. Poincare was willing' to negotiate on reparations, but not the Ruhr, lie added that Franco was absolutely determined to remain in the Ruhr and control it iin every way until the reparations weru fully paid. The German Government was astounded at this blunt notification. Dr. Stresemann strongly protested, hut made .for M. l'oincaro a full statement of the German attitude; and expressed the hope that by his speeches M. Poincare would not make the German position more difficult.