LAUSANNE TREATY

Hokitika Guardian, 16 July 1932, Page 5

LAUSANNE TREATY

AGREEMENT TEXT ISSUED BY FOREIGN OFFICE. RUGBY, July 15. A. white papoi' issued by the Foreign Office contains further documents relating to- this Lausanne settlement,, in-c.-uding the text of the so-called “Gentleman’s Ag.eemeut,” winch is in the form of'a- process verbal, initialled on beha’lf of Britain, France, Italy . and Brig uni. The following is the text “The Lausanne agreement will not come into final’effect, until after rat.fication, as provided for in the agreement. So far as the creditor governments on whose beliaJf this process ' vicT.-al i« initiri.-ied, are concerned, the ratification will not be effected until a satisfactory settlement has been reached between, them and their own er ditors. It will bo open to them to explain the position to their iespecrive Parliaments, but no specific reference to it will apperti ill the text of tlila agreement with Gex*many. 1 “SubieqUefitiy, if a satisfactory, settlement about their own debts- is, reached, the aforesaid creditor governments Will ratify) and the agreement with Germany will cohle into full effect, bill If no stich settlement can be obtained, the agreement with Germany .will not be ratified. A new situation will have arisen, .and, the. governments interested will have to consult together as to what .should tie. done. In that event, the legal position as between all the governments would revert to that \vhich existed before tile Hoover' mo-atorium. The. German Governmert will -be notified of this arrangement.” ''he white paper also contains the identical letters from Mr Chamberlain to the French and Italian Finance Ministers stating that the British Government “would have been very glad if it, had been possible, for them to cancel the war debts of France and Italy as part of -an all-round cancellation of war debts and reparations.” In the actual circumstances, they regret they cannot enter into any definite commitments modifying existing war debt funding agreement. They "agree, however, that the;,sits-’' pension provided for by tlie deblaration of Junto 16 should apply annuities due tinder the IVar .' D&bt funding agreement, and under 'iinnex one qf the Hague. A greemierit s ,;’August 31, 1929, until ,The coming nftd' force of the Lausanne A gieemei)*£-or HnHSI it has been decided not to- ratify" tbit 1 agreement. In the event ' bt':.‘’iidiV-ratifioa-tion, the legal position’; .'-betveteti all the Gov - rnments ’coricernetl would' revert to that which existed undei- the Hague Agreement,' .JaJfih-afiy 20, 1930, - and the war debt-’ f unding agfeem-etits', pin that ease, tht”British and French and Italian Gdyeffimhiits would have to examine- together d« facto situation, which would bo Wonted.

A letter from Chancellor Von -Papen acknowledging a' copy of this process verbal, refers- also 'to- a statement given at- the plenary session by Mr MacDonald that “in tire- event of any inability to fulfil the agreement and its annexes a further conference will be held.” •:

Chancellor Von Panen’s letter add« :i “In these circumstances I consider myself*- justified in proceeding on the assumption t-hat the -matter has been authoritatively explained in so far as. Germany is concerned.”"

PREMIER EXPLAINS POSITION

RUGBY, July 15

The Prime Minister explained the Lausanne position authoritatively in. his (speech ir, the Commons on Tuesday: evening, whin he said. “In view of: the grevious results likely to follow, upo-n any representations made either, here or in America, that at Lausanne) Europe combined to present something in the nature of an ultimatum to the United States, I want vo make- it absolutely deer that -ill Lausanne did .wasto straighten out the internal difficul-:. tins of Europe, whiijh in all con science;: were many and difficult, and .agree, tq. proposals which the nations there .tre-; presented, believe are both essentialand possible.” . ■.>:

BRITISH OFFICIAL STATEMENTS

RUGBY, July 15.

A statement, issued by the PrimeMini=tor to-night, » denies the reports published thn,t yesterday’-s AngloFrench declaration of co-operation nopliipis to the quest’o of British debts to the- United States. The statement says: The use in the declaration of trie words “European regime.” \exnreJfi’y excludes from its purview, quostio'-'S affectinrr non-Euro-pean countries on’ the whole oue-top., A, further statement issued from Dbwning Street deni’s , with the mis-. understanding which occurr-'d abrqerl. rqfcnrili-nsr the reference madp .])>’ Alt Chamberlain in bis Commons .speech on Monday to the conversatfonn. held at Lausann'o. with the American viepre'sentatiVeis. Tie roints,qnt .that riie- Chancellor “did not suggest and had no intention of suggesting t.bat the repf-esentotiv"s of. tht?, Tririted Sta+e" bad -aenroved cither tactitly or explicitly, what vrn t’eno at L?, , ’ l T?Ti;'?’l’ll e> liroceed ir>ws +.b°ire- wc’' n t.hro"u.gib» out on a L-sis that the right course was to seek an European -solnt'pn to v'>nn mtions. without involving the United Statcr-s in tlve discussions.!’