FRANCE & REPARATIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 15 January 1923, Page 3

FRANCE & REPARATIONS

THE BRITISH POLIC Y

OLD FA RLE I LEV R8EI). -ny un.KtiltAl'll- -MU* I‘KKNS ASSOCIATION j I Received this dav at 10 a.m.) LONDON. Jan. I I Mr Ronald M. Neill at Canterbury .aid it was a serious disappointment i hat so early in the new Government’s it',- il was compelled to dissent from s'raiu proposals regarding the best ray of making Germany fullil her obligation*. It was the old story ol the ;on-e and gold eggs in a new form. Wo believed the French policy would starve ilie bird, if mu cut its throat. We wanted to give it ,iust enough food t,, enable it to ley, not because we !,,ved the bird but because we wanted the eggs. Some seemed to think Mr lionar Law desired to let the Germans

ol!' easily or bail a squeamish objection to taking military action- in order to make them pay. Others seemed to think .Mr lionar Law was even deluded enough to Irusi German promises. There was no truth whatever in these -•lgge.siions. Mr Rnnur Law is no more disposed than M. Ruiueaire to trust (ler i.an p- funises. I lie whole disagreement between France and Britain was -imp! . regarding the best method ol attaining the common end. All the Gorman talk about violence and brutality of French methods was mere moonshine. 'I he Germans were the last people who ought to talk of brutality. If il were possible tor Trench to recover a tenth part of what Germany owed by the same methods that Germany employed in 18/ 1. there would ii.it lie a particle of injustice in doing so. There is nothing intrinsically wrong w ith the French policy, Gut j we objected, believing il would defeat its own purpose. Nobody must suppose it would all’ord us grat iticat ton if; we are proved right.