REPARATIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 January 1922, Page 5

REPARATIONS.

CASE FOR GERMANY. “PLIGHT IS SERIOUS.” DELEGATE MEETS ALLIES. By Telegraph.— -Press Assn—Copyright. London, Jan. 12. Dr. Rathenau, on behalf of Germany, addressed the Supreme Council at Cannes for an hour giving details of Germany’s position. “Her plight,” he siad, “was serious. She was faced with a deficit on exports and imports alone of over a hundred million marks.” Dr. Rathenau, in sparring with the Reparations Commission, was an easy first in all-round resource. In his exchange of views with individual members especially is he a master of evasion. His tactics in this respect are considerably aided by the limited mandate given by the Supreme Council to the Reparations Commission. In dealing with Dr. Rathenau this disability is accentuated by the latent rivalry between the two bodies. What emerged from Dr. Rathenau’s exposition was that Germany would Have defaulted to the extent of three hundred million gold marks by February, and required a twelve months’ moratorium. This, Dr. Rathenau declared, was a psychological necessity, although biologically speaking, a much longer moratorium was essential. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. Received January 13, 9.10 pun. Cannes, Jan. 12*. Dr. Rathenau dwelt on the fact that the Bank of England refused a loan and voluntary domestic loan was almost impossible, while a forced domestic loan would be dangerous. German taxation had just about doubled and represented the absolute limit. Dr. Rathenau continued at great length and he was speaking when M. Loucheur received a telegram announcing M. Briand’s resignation, which he read to the conference, exclaiming: “I am no longer a Minister; I am going back to Paris to-night.” Dr. Rathenau asked: “Is it any use my going on?”

Mr. Lloyd George replied: “Yes, the Allies will hear your case.” Dr. Rathenau continued, laboring under obvious excitement.

The conference adjourned at the end of Dr. Rathenau’s speech.