New-York tribune., 1919-04-07
France to Get Saar Valisy
Coal Mines; Adriafia
Fiume to Go to Italy:
Foe Must Pay to Limit
British. Premier
Pleads Patience
Asserts Only Divergence
of Opinion on Fines
Is Among the Experts

PARIS, April (By The Associated
Press).-The preliminary peace treaty
will be ready by Easter, and the Ger
mans will be asked to come and SIGN !,
at the end of April or the beginning of
May, Premier Lloyd George of Great
Britain declared in an interview TODAY
with Stephane Lauzanne, editor of the
| "Matin"
In answer to remark by NJ. Lau-
zanne that what troubled public opin-
ION was not so much the DELAY as the
secrecy IN which the peace negotiations
were wrapped and the fear that there
was some divergence of opinion, the
British Premier said:
i affirm absolutely that there is no
divergence among the ncgotiators.
They are often confronted with tech
nical difficulties which can be settled
only after close study Take the aues-
tion of reparations. In substance, the
Allies have one common principle
which I once set forth thus: Germany
must pay up to the last farthing of
her power
Technical Experts Disagree
"But is it sufficient to draw up a b;ll
and hand 1T to the enemy? Must we
not require guarantees, and must we
not study the terms, methods and
forms Of delayed payments? Must we
not be able to say to our adversary
whom ho n1ooIc
sources: Yes, you can go as far as
that, and you must do it, and you must
do that In word, shal. we simplv
present a bill or collect the money. NIL
the money possible? Well, that is
where the work comes in. slow and diff
fcult work, complicated by the fact
that technical experts of the highest
capabilities and great experience are
not in agreement among themselves.
either as to the method of liquidation
or as to the assets to be realized.
NO, there is no divergence among
the negotiators, but, alas, there arc in.
evitablc ones among the experts, often
among those from the same country.
Who is to decide between them if not
the negotiators, and do you think it
can always be done quickly?'
M. Lauzanne remarked that what
public opinion could not understand
was why, before everything, Germany
was not handed full bill, no matter
what amount, and forced to admit full
liability.
And who says we shall not do so?"
cried Premier Lloyd George. "Who
says we have not decided that?"
mo one," the interviewer interrupt
ed, "has said that you have decided it."
The British Premier resumed.
Cannot the people wait until we
have finished our work, instead of al
ways wanting to judge our intentionss
lhls conference had to meet and dis
,uss things under conditions unprece-
tented in history. All eyes are turned
,oward 1t, and, what is more grave.
III ears are glued at its keyhole. En-
my ears tremble with JOY when they
ietect some hesitation. Friendly ears
lalf hear confused rumors, which are
,eddled far and quickly.
Optimism Increases
The day does not pass but what
ONE false news here and there takes
is fight. Nevertheless, no day passes
ut that we in silent deliberation feel
pproaching nearer the great aim and
experience for each other more esteem.
onfdence and affection. Let public
pinion wait a few days. 1t will then
e able to pronounce on facts, not ru,
lors."