GERMAN ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 7 November 1923, Page 2

GERMAN ITEMS

ACbIKALI.AN AM) N.Z. CAULK ASSOCIATION, EDI NCA R E'S COM M ENTS. RAH IS, Nov. !. -M. Roincare, in a speech at the laying of the foundation of a war memorial at Rrive, spoke in regard to the suggested inquiry into Germany’s present capacity to pay. He emphasised that il is France's determination to keep within tlu* Treaty of Versailles. He also emphasised the desirability ot seeking for finalities beneath the rags amt tatters with which the Reich was camouflaging it self. Obviously, In* said, before making payment. Germany must returm her finances, restore her currency and nut herself in a position to raise a foreign loan. Whatever the decision of tin* German populations in re gard to their political future, France would render for ever impossible any fresh German agression on France.

France, he declared, had no idea of appropriating, directly or indirectly, any territory; hut there was an argument that, if a group of the inhabitants of Germany proclaimed their indtqienclence, a revision of tin* Treaty of Versailles would naturally follow. This argument appeared contrary to the principles and the rights of nations. Whatever occurred within the Reich did not exempt the Allies from observing the treaty. BELGIUM'S ATTITUDE. ' LONDON, Nov. il. All the newspapers insist oil the importance of the fact that llelgium lias broken from Franco over the conditions which M, Poincare seeks to attach to the invitation to the United States to join in a reparations inquiry. They realise Belgium is willing to go to the utmost length to secure the United States’ assistance, which she regards as essential to a final solution of the reparations problem,' though llelgium agrees that as a condition for reducing tin* total of the German debt, there must he a proportional reduction of the ititcr-Allied debt. The French critics reveal an anxiety lest. France should hr isolated, owing to M. Poincare’s diplomacy. FRANCE’S LIMITS. LONDON, Nov. 0. M. Roincare’s reply has reached the Foreign Office. The “Morning Rost” understand!* that it insists, firstly, that the scope of the proposed inquiry In* limited Ui Germany's present capacity to pay; secondly, that the confereme la* an advisory hotly, under the instructions of the Reparations Commission, and reporting to that body; thirdly that tlu* conference* shall have no power to examine, or intervene in, any arrangement already made or being negotiated between the French Government ami German nationals. This is supposed to refer to the negotiations with the German industrialists. The “Morning Rost” adds: —“Interest, ill British official circles, is now focussed on the attitude of the l iiited States towards M. Poincare's conditions.” The “Daily Telegraph's" diplomatic correspondent understands the reply contains no specific reicrence to the Ruhr or the Rhineland. BELGIUM PARTS FROM FRANCE. , LONDON. Nov (5. “The Dnilv Express's” Brussels correspondent says the Belgian Government does not intend to waver in theslightest from its .stand regarding the functions of the proposed Reparations Committee. The press keenly resents what it terms an outburst nf had temper on the part ol the Paris press. “Lc Jihre Belgique” says France* has never made any concessions likely to serve the pacific Belgian interests.