REPARATIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 January 1923, Page 3

REPARATIONS.

Al-RTKAMAN and n.z. cabi.h association. the wiiui.l) position. PARTS, Jan 4. A member oT llio British deli Ration expresses the opinion tlml if I'ranee deckles to take isolated aeiioii, Britain is bound to make n. formal protest, at the same time making it clear she will a not. participate in any reparations kfc - p'l-illife innv secure hy her act ion. ■nv feel inn in. British circles in that the conference will break up to-nigiit. M. Poincare rei|ncsto»l the Amb.iss.idor in Washington to intorm Mr Hughes that the Herman proposal mi non-aggression against I' ranee "aclearly undertaken with 1,1 f curing the evacuation of Hlnnela"it hi - 4 lore fulfilling the Treaty ni \ ersailUn. Her present propostd ol non-iiKitnw ’ aon i list France. Italy and Britain would leave lur free to attack Poland C /.echo Slovakia and even Denmark to regain lost territories, and we should he toiliidden to come to theii aid. FRANCK AND BIT IT A I X. PARIS. Jannary The newspapers label the hieakd- wn of the eonferent easan “A nglo-k iem h V divorce.” Thorn'll "Iw Journal 1,11 the contrary says only a I ricndslil l> remains from the Alliance, the lalm de Paris” rejoices in France's liberty to resume independent action. AH the papers emphasise the laet that the Entente is not dead. S.moiwcm in “He Matin” regards the rupture as putting I'ranee and Bri- ' tain in a condition of the Entente subsisting hefore the war. The Versailles Treaty hindered cur h others actions. |,lit France and Britain have now recovered personal liberty. France is not alone. Italy and Bel Kin m helped her to prevent British financiers haml--11110 the European political situation at their own sweet will. Saiienvcin tiroes French delegates at l.ausaune to content themselves with wutt-liina French (inaueial and economic interests which will not he difficult as I urkey will now realise France has signed the treaty in all friendship and is no longer hound to carry out Dol'd Curzoit’s designs”. ‘T.e Matin”- also desclares Mr IJoyd George was the interpreter of the same fiuaiieial coalition as is Mr Bonnr l.av, hut Mr.l.lovd George's idea was to wreck the execution of the peace treaty. For tlml purpose he kept the reparations scheme in his pocket and was satisfied with a compromise. M. Pertinax, writing in the “Echo de Paris” thinks it was it mistake not to have held a private Anglo-French Conference hefore the public conference. Pertinax regards Britain as isolated and urges Hump and Brussels to stand with Paris in the maintenance of peace. The “Echo de Paris” says Hie .question non i- how to liquidate the Fran-cn-British partnership so as to inflml the least injury upon the two countries which are friendly. A week must elapse before Poincare publicly expresses his policy. There is no need to regard events too seriously.” “T.e Journal” declares the moment For carrying out the French policy has arrived. I.et us act frankly without boasting or lear as befits those who know what are real moderation and wisdom, r The “Petit .Journal” continues to believe the Franco-British entente an absolute necessity for the lasting peace of Europe. THE ENTENTE. PARTS, January !>. “The Entente exists, hut the Entente Cordiale is dead!” This is the keynote of Iho comment in the Paris cafes and on the boulevard* to-night, i says Mr Martin Doiioghuo writing to I the “Daily Chronicle.” Air Donoglme / says:—“Now that France lias recovered ' her liberty of action, a note will be sent to Hermany, requesting the nck‘ eeptanee of'the French plan, ff Hermany refuses, the Sanctions will immediately he applied, including the occupation of 'Essen. Bochum, and Ruhr, and tile establishment of a Customs barrier. It is understood Mr Ronar Law will now cancel Britain's participation in the Reparations Commission, giving one year’s notice to that effect. Meanwhile, the British delegates will abstain from attending. According to a message received from Lausanne, the delegates there were astonished at the collapse ot the Paris Conference. Tim Turks are openly rejoicing at the news. At. Tcitoherin (Russia) interviewed T.smet /Pasha, their conference lasting for two hours. FRENCH TO OCCUUY R.JTHR. I.jON DON, January 5. The Loudon “Daily 'Express’s” Paris correspondent says: -“The operations connected with the French occupation of the Ruhr region are expected to bo completed in one day. Ti e fnrtherest point of the new section to be occupied is only ten miles from the present French occupied area. Four thousand to five thousand troops will be used to deal with expoet oil incidents. It is learned that Afr Bonnr Law has unofficially, suggested to AL Ruin-are the Withdrawal of the British troops from the Rhine, as in his opinion the French action would remove the possibility of the Hermans making further payments towards the cost of the armies of occupation. CONFERENCE BREAKS UP. LONDON January a. The “Daily Express's” Paris coire*- —< pondont says:- -The conference met at three o’eloek for an hour, and then adjourned for one hour and a-hnil. Finally it broke tip at 0.30. Tt was obvious from the delegates’ faces at the adjournment that the end was near The Conference broke over the guarnntees. Afr Bonnr Law’s scheme offer- , ed a moratorium, with immediate guarantees. Afr Bonnr "Law’s scheme offered a moratorium, with immediati guarantees. Af. Poincare would noi agree to any moratorium, with guarantees. The delegation sat face to fact with a hopeless situation. There was i few minutes’ silence—everyone recog nising that a great crisis in the world’: history had been vouched, and end delegate fearing to speak the fata

word marking the terminating of long years of alliance in common suffering, effort and trial. M. Poincare fidgeted and he obviously was intensely moved. Mr Ronar Law. with bis eyes on the table sat motionless. AL I’oincare broke the silence by proposing an adjournment for an hour and a-lralf. Afr Bonnr Law quickly sought Af. Poincare’s hand. All rose and left. Tile Foreign Office lias issued the full text of a long and elosely-nigued British reply to the French criticism at the second sitting of itte Conference. but it throws no light upon the causes of the final disagreement which was due to fundamental consideration* outlined in Mr Bonnr Law's first speech. * I’iio reply emphasises that, despite her own liability to America. Britain will offer to cancel her Allied debts, totalling eleven hundred milieu sterling, the burden whereof the British taxpayer must hear for at least a BRITAIN’S PR FA ITER. 'Hi reived 'bis dav at LIFI ii.mA LONDON. Jannary Hon. Bonar law in a -daleim lit. alter the breakdown of the coiil'i'icm e. said there v. ere irreconcilable differences l»etween Frame and Britain, hut the friendship between the two countries and peonies would remain changed. The British Government would not take part in o" accept any responsibility for France's actions.