The Daily News. FRIDAY, AUGUST 25, 1922. THE ALLIES’ PROBLEM.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 August 1922, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, AUGUST 25, 1922. THE ALLIES’ PROBLEM.

Of late, there has been no lack of excitement among the Allies over

the problem, the pivot of which is German reparations. Unhappily, the French Premier has persistently and determinedly refused to. extend his outlook beyond What he insists are the rights of France, while Britain and the other Allies have deemed it imperative to take into account the urgent necessity for restoring the financial equilibrium of the whole of Europe. In his recent bitter and impassioned speech at Bar le Due, M. Poincare has deliberately charged Britain with breach of faith, with selfishness, even with scarcely, veiled threats, the worst feature of this venomous attack being that it insinuates that Britain, and some of the Allies, only saw their own paralysed industries, and were therefore bent on finding foreign markets at any price. In attributing such a degrading and sordid policy to the country which made such colossal sacrifices to save France from being wiped off the map, and the French people preserved from helotship to German masters, M. Poincare has committed a heinous offence, and he cannot plead that he was carried away by the impulse of the moment, because his speech was read from manuscript. The French. Premier insists that every interAllied compromise during the last three years has been at the expense of France. Such a contention is conclusive proof that, while France is wilfully blind to all interests except her own, Britain, as usual! takes the larger view, besides desiring to temper justice with mercy. From the French viewpoint, Germany should be made to carry out her treaty obligations to the letter, and pay the full amount fixed for reparations, no matter what happens. Every concession made to Germany is akin to a thrust of the sword in the flesh of France. Britain thoroughly understands the financial difficulties of France, and is equally cognisant of the financial situation in Germany and the probable effect of her bankruptcy, if such a disaster should eventuate. It is all very well for the London Daily Mail to contend that the way' to deal with this -threatened German bankruptcy is to tell Germany that Britain is not in the least afraid of it, and does not propose to give the Germans a single halfpenny to stabilise the mark, with the result that when Herr Stinnes, and the other financial magnates who have helped to cause the present crisis, realise Britain’s policy, they may change both their minds and their policy. The Germans are far too masterful in the art of bluffing to be affected by such a pronouncement, which would never be regarded seriously. It is easy to advocate that the Allies should secure the use of the enormous credits (which German financiers and traders are said to have placed abroad) to meet the cost of reparations, and to insist on the German Government taking the necessary steps to that end. Far different would it be to put such a policy into practice, and there is no question that if France attempts to carry out her threat of taking a lone hand in forcing payments from Germany by occupying the Ruhr district and collecting money for herself, she will have to face the consequences. As a matter of fact the French Premier’s present deplorable attitude is playing into Germany’s hands, it being well known that the German militarists desire nothing better than the breaking up of the Entente. The largertquestion of securing the peace of Europe, founded on the nations recovering their economic stability, cannot be ignored. That Germany must pay for reparations is just as firmly insisted upon now as when the treaty was signed, but to carry out her obligations she must obtain money by trade. M. Poincare recognises that the British Government is animated by friendly intentions, but he contends that Britain has failed to realise the seriousness of the French position. In the latter view he is certainly wrong. The future of France, as well as that of Britain and the other Allies, demands that the present financial difficulties with Germany should be overcome, but that will be impossible unless M. Poincare adopts a rational attitude . and co-operates in the efforts to solve the problem.

THE NEW WHARF. The discussion on the question of undertaking the construction of the new wharf by contract or by day labor at yecterday’s meeting of the Harbor Board was interesting and enlightening. There is a growing opinion that the system of constructing public works by day labor is uneconomical both in regard to time and cost, and, as time is the essence of the contract in connection -with building the new wharf, urgently required to cope with the present trade of the. port, members of the board were disposed to let the work by contract. The statement of the board’s consulting engineer, however, put a different complexion on the matter. According to him there are no firms available which are qualified to undertake the work as a whole. Experience had shown that except for sections of the work that could be let by contract better results were obtained from day labor, properly trained, directed and supervised. Mr. Blair Mason rightly stressed the need for exercising the greatest care in the making of the piles, this being a work that must be thoroughly and conscientiously carried out. On the whole the engineer made out a convincing case for the board itself undertaking the work. Evidently the day labor system followed generally, by the Government and local bodies in New Zealand has driven the private contractor, with his plant and. efficient staff, out of the field. This is to be regretted, for in other countries where private enterprise has full sway big works of this description are carried out more expeditiously and economically than by Governments or local bodies. The situation as it is in New Zealand, however, has to be accepted, and the Harbor Board had no option but to follow the advise of the engineer and undertake the work itself. It is to be hoped there will be no further delay over.the work. There has, from various causes, been a good deal already, and in consequence the port and district are suffering. The trade has quite out-grown the present facilities at the port, and during the next year or two, when trade must increase, the Harbor Board will be properly “up against it.”