SUPPOSE ANOTHER WAY?

Hokitika Guardian, 11 April 1932, Page 8

SUPPOSE ANOTHER WAY?

“Suppose, as is possible,” points out the “Manchester Guardian,” “that the British Government came to the conclusion that the best solution would he a,complete moratorium ror all Geimany’s external debt for five yearn, followed by the annual payment of an obviously reasonable sum (fay a <1 natter to a sixth of the present sum) on reparation account. And suppose that this plan were, again just for once, submitted not to the French but to the Germans for their preliminary appro, val. Is it not likely that the Germans ■would accept itT And suppose a plan of this kind were actually presented t’i the French as an alternative to fiat aiul total repudiation of everything m the nature of a reparation obligation. Would the French accept it Possibly not. Would they invade the Hidir again P Hardly. It is indeed difficult to see what they could do. At all events it would be better to put all our energies into a plan of this kind in which we really believed, and which would give a real chance lor the restoration of confidence and trade, than to nlay about with ingenious schemes for showing that the Noting Plan, which is p-e/ tically dead, theoretically alive."