BRITAIN’S REPLY.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 August 1923, Page 4

BRITAIN’S REPLY.

LONDON COMMENT. AUSTII AI.IAN AM) N.Z. CA-lM.i; ASSOCIATION. LONDON. August 13. 'i lie ‘Morning Post/’ commenting on the published documents, says: “Mo do not seek to embarrass Mr Baldwin. We trust that in this painful controversy the Conservatives will remember tliat lie is their chosen leader, and a. man of singular honesty and simplicity of character; that ho is now to high office and beset by a multitude of anxious cares and pressing problems. We hope Mr Baldwin will not take it amiss when wo express 1 lie deeply Jolt conviction time separate action leads only to an abyss. Jl. may be difficult to agree with France, bur it would bo suicidal to part from her. We offered France, through Mr Bonar Law, our goodwill

ui the Kulir adventure. Now, at a critical moment of that enterprise, wo virtually call France a disturber of the world's peace. “Wo trust thru, the irriiotion which the Note will cause in France will not make ii impossible for both countries to get back on the rght road. Sometimes it is good for hazardous travellers to get a glimpse of the precipice. Franco and Britain are now in the danger zone. If and when they get back to safety, v.o trust that the British Ciovermnont's first action will bo to make a hold, comprehensive, definite statement concerning the security of France, which is i he most supreme issue in modern European polities. Jts second action should be the announcement to Oermauy thru, as we have bound ourselves to the United States for a long term, tbrmany cannot expert to win her freedom until she has served at least as long.”

The ‘'Daily Telegraph” says: “The British Government's policy is to secure an early settlement- of rc}>;ir;ttions, which will enable Germany to pav on terms to which she will ho a consenting party. ami Britain is ready to include in the settlement a most canorous remission of inler-Alliod debts, ini the eonliarv. the French poliey lead-, in the British Government's opinion, tlnougli chan- and catastrophe in Germany, in an eventual settlement, of which the only thing predicithle with certainly is that it ill mu produce reparations lor Britain, whatever faults it produces lor France. That is' the choice, and all the evidence tends to show that ptihlie opinion hete. and in the dominions. endorses Saturday's Note and the conclusions to which .it points and leads." The “Dailv Kxpress" heartily agrees with the portion of the .Vote dealing with reparations and international indehtedness. particularly the declaration that Britain will not accept less in repayment of debts than she has undertaken to pay the Baited Stales which the “Daily Kxpress'* describes as “a !ir,t ami welcome note of dotcrtuint'tion on l.ehrlf el the Biilish taxpayer, which has heen too long absent from mil' diplomacy.” The journal believes that the time has pas.-ed for questioning the legality of ute occupation, and that it wouln bp a naste of breath to advise dormany with reference to passive resistance. and it concludes : win's dovennuent intends to clear out from the Fttropean morass, withdraw the troops from Cologne, and take our own measures for collecting the vast -unis legitimately -due to Britain, it will .secure the approval oi the great mass ol the nation." The “Daily Chronicle” regrets that Lite White Paper does not include the papers of August and December, and of dune. 11)23, jti order more adequately to display to the world the British case. The “Chronicle" suggests Unit it would have heen more useful if the protest- against the occupation of the Buhr had been forcibly. obstinately and publicly as-.erted before t lie inva - >IOO took place. While welcoming pies.-,ute with reteroiico to the Trench debt, and the hints of possible separate action, the “Chronicle'“ Isays; “The future will show how far the Government is prepared to hack up its own opinion. In our view the country. in this mutter in advance of t lie fit vcrnmeiit." The “Westminster Gazette" says: Tile .Maiquis Curzou offers to wipe on! mil indebtedness to Britain, beyond what we have to pay the Failed States. \o nation m history ever made a sacrifice on such a scale. This is the truest measure of our anxiety to resort to peace, and, if this offer does not move France, we ate committed io an independent course of policy. "We take 11 the Government lias in mind tho kind of separate action indicated, and that the only thing which will change, onr purpose is Trance's and Belgium’s acceptance of Britain's entirely reasonable and logical proposals. We have come to a point from which there ■ hi he no turning hic-k on our part.'' I' I! F N (11 I’ll F.SS Ol’lN'ln.V. I'A 11 IS, August 12. The newspaper “J.iherto" says: - - “The Bi ili'ii .Foreign Office perfectly well knows that any suggestion regarding the legality of the occupation of the flulir could not he admitted lor an instant by France. Questions concerning the treaties of DM!) depend solely upon the Allies who won the war, and in no wav upon the League of Nations of which The Hague Trihllll.ll is an annexe." “I.oeuvre” asks U hat is tin good of arguing whether the Buhr occupation is provided for under a- certain paragraph of the Treaty? Hood or bad the French and Belgian Govcnimcnts will not evacuate the Buhrj over a legal quibble. . The French fhivermnenL will shortly issue a. Yellow Book bringing the his-1 torv of the reparations up io j