THE REPARATIONS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 121, 15 February 1921, Page 5

THE REPARATIONS

VON SIMONS DECLARES DEMAND FANTASTICAL THE COUNTER-PROPOSALS SCRAPPING OF VERSAILLES TREATY SUGGESTED By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright (Rec. February 14, 7.30 p.m.) Berlin, February 14. Dr. von Simons, in a speech at Stuttgart, declared that the reparations demands, which were based on Germany’s future exports, were fantastical. The 12 per cent, duly- was impossible, and would injure the entire European trade. The counter-proposals would sho.v that Germany was ready to work in bitter earnest to heal the war wounds, provided it was within her capacity". The counterproposals would not be fantastical, but what Germany could pay with an effort. A large loan would be necessary' to rehabilitate the tottering countries, but this could only be raised by' scrapping tho terms of tho Versailles Treaty.”— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ATTITUDE OF DELEGATES TO LONDON CONFERENCE "NOT GOING TO SUBMIT TO DICTATION.” Berlin, February 12. Herr Wirth, Minister of Finance, addressing tho Chamber of Commerce, said the members of ihe German Government were not going to London to submit to dictation. They were prepared to do their utmost, because they felt morally' obliged to assist in reconstruction. Therefore they would submit reparation proposals to the London Conference. The nation must realise (hat payment must bo made not. from the national wealth but from work, and therefore it was questionable whether all the fruits of. revolution could be safeguarded. It was impossible for America to keep aloof when the world’s economic forces were assembled in conference, because the decisions would remain in the region oi theories unless tho whole economic world co-operated .—R eu te r. TAX ON GERMAN EXPORTS FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER’S EXPLANATION. Paris, February 13. The Foreign Minister, in consequence of the protests in German newspapers and of neutral traders, has issued a note that the proposed 12 per cent, tax does not aim. at compelling Germany' to create a tax on exports, but forces her to deduct 12 per cont. from the total value.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. ENGLISH COAL FOR GERMANY SHORTAGE AT BERLIN FACTORIES. London, February 13. The correspondent at Berlin of the “Daily Chronicle” states that arrangements are being made for the export of English coal, to be delivered at Hamburg at 30s. a ton. From Hamburg it will be transported io Berlin for use in factories. It will cost about a. hundred murks more per ton than German, but 1 450,1)00 tons of Silesian are being delivered to France monthly, and the railway transport: to Berlin will 'be difficult for some time. Owing to coal shortage Berlin works dependent on flectrinity have been working only at night-time. It is expeeled the English coal will enable forty thousand workers in Berlin to revert to day' work—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.