The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-09
Supreme Council Reaches
Agreement to Provision
the Enemy.
URGED BY AMERICANS
They Realize Danger of Col
lapse of Ebert Government
if Supplies Fail.
DELEGATES MEET AGAIN
Foreign Securities and Neutral
Credits to Be Used Before
Exacting Cash.
DELEGATES MEET AGAIN
BY LAURENCE HILLS.
Stdr Correspondent Of THE Sun
. CopDr;oIf fora. all ~l1kt. ~<..-.S


Stdr Correspondent Of THE Sun.
Copyright. 1873; all rights reserved
PARIS, March S-As a result of the
many conferences among allied and
American delegates just returned
from Spa and the respective heads OF
their missions to the Peace Confer.
ence over the situation which devel
oped at Thursdays meeting with the
Germans and the refusal Of the latter
to turn over merchant ships a much
more hopeful feeling is apparent
Premiers Clemenceau and Lloyd
George are known to have had talk,
and once more comes the intimation
that the French views are about to
coincide with those Of the United
States and Great Britain, which will
make possible an agreement by which
the victors will undertake to feed
Germany until August
In the meantime the Supreme
Council has evolved a workable plan
which 1t is thought will solve the
problem completely. as It is felt here
that the Germans will accept the new
proposal. Under this plan Germany
will be asked to pay for the food
with her credits in neutral countries
and with foreign securities she now
holds.
More Optimlstic view Held.
This proposal will be presented to
the Germans Immediately and 1t will
be at once accepted, It is believed,
because the Germans are desperately
anxious 10 obtain food on the one
hand and on the other they know
that the agreement will be presented
to them on practically the basis Of
an ulimatum. At any rate there Is
great optimism that the situation,
which was thrown into chaos tempo.
rarily by the action Of the Germans
at Spa. will be cleared.
This optimism is largely based op
the conviction that France, under
British and American pressure, will
consent to the payment plan under
which the German quick assets may
be used. The American commission.
ers, In formal and informal talks
with the Germans at Spa, became
convinced that the new German Gov
ernment is In great danger Of being
overthrown unless food Is forthcom.
ing Immediately. and so informed the
mission upon their return to Paris.
The British take the same view.
No Actual Break Mt sps.
Revolution In Germany must be
averted If possible, the Americans
say, and they are confident from the
latest French statements that the
Clemenceau Government now takes
the same view. 1t was made clear
to-day, however, that there was no
break at Spa. both sides having
merely decided to return for further
instructions. Technically the Ger
mans are under obligations TO turn
over the ships before the victualling
begins, and they violated their agree
ment in their point blank refuss.
to dc.so.
Tho Germans took the position that
their people would revolt II the ships
were released before the process OF
sending food TO them was started
The allied and American representa-.
tives on the other hand, took the posi-
ton that they lacked authority 10
proceed; but back OF II all was their
inability to induce France to consent
to the payment plan. 1t is around this
point that the situation revolved
The whole matter was put before the
Supreme Council, which, in addition
to the action taken tonight, prob
ably will adopt a resolution instruct
ing the Economic Council to carry out
the promises OF food that were in
cluded in the armistice terms. Under
this plan the food that Germany 10 to
get will cost her half a billion dollars,
Gold 10 BE Exncted Last.
The payment plan urged by Grea,
Britain and the United States calls
for the use. first, OF German OK
ports; second neutral credits. and
third, German gold. 1t has been rep
resented TO France, It IS understood
that the gold will not be called for
until the other two sources of COM
pensation are exhausted. Experts
have ascertained that Germany has
half billion dollars In gold and
France has Jealous eye on this
money.
The German refusal 10 turn over the
ships evidently was great surprise tn
some OF the American representatives.
who were told by the Germans that chs