Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-04-01
Peace Progress
Satisfies French

y Contiued from PAGE One
with their financial advisers in the
morning and in the afternoon discussed
(. military questions with Marshal Foch,
E who presented the French position re-
" earding the left bank of the Rhine.
A feeling of apprehension over the
leck of progress on the peace treaty
persists in American circles here, al
though 1t Is stated in authoritative
a quarters that differences which have
arisen have not reached the status of
deadlock
The principal difficulty has been found
IN settling upon reparation according to
= the new method of payment suggested
by the French delegation. This plan
\ was presented on Saturday before the
council OF four and covered twenty type
written pages 1t is said that the from
tier question now turns on the securing
Of military safety along the Rhine.
Indemnity for Factories
1t is suggested in authoritative circles
that the difficult question of protecting
ruined French and Belgian industries
A~from German competition before they
can be restored, and at the same time
permit the Germans to import raw mate
rials and resume expectations at an
early date so as to facilitate the payment
OF indemnities, might be settled by
.ssallowing indemnities to the owners OF
ruined factories, these indemnities to be
Ncalculated on a basis of proved profits
for certain number of years before the
war
It is pointed out that trade could be
reserved for the devastated factories
3 only by restricting the entry of manu-
fractures of all foreign countries into
The markets concerned during the entire
period Of reconstruction. In view of the
urgent requirements of these markets.
hcwever, this is considered impossible.
Financial compensation, with priority
IN the matter of reparation, is proposed
as the best alternative, as it has the
advansage of Increasing Germany's pay
ing capacity.
1t is argued that If the industries af-
fccted do not lose trade to the Germans,
they will lose it temporarily to other
counties, SO that no advantage would
y be gained in prohibiting German exports
beyond a punitive measure against the
authors OF the destruction.
The foreign ministers of the four
great powers. with one of the Japanese
delegates, will meet today to discuss
the procedure at Versailles. or wherever
( the Allied commissioners meet the Ger
man peace commission
All the possibilities embraced in such
meeting will be considered by the
Allied representatives, such as the queS-
ton of short or long session, whether
an opportunity will be given the Ger
mans TO enter into any discussion on the
terms and whether the Germans will be
required to sign Immediately OF will be
permitted 10 return to Germany for fur.
ther instructions.
"A The first meeting between the fnan-
cfRl commission of the Peace Con-
ference and the German financial agents
y Will take place Thursday at Compiegne
where an indefinite session will be held
for the purpose of arranging the ex-
change of German securities for food
stufHs
After the first session it is probab BILE
that no members of the Allied financial
& commission will remain in Compegne
y Is the business to be transacted will be
Y of such nature that trained bankers
can conduct 1t without assistance from
the executive members of the commits
Z sion.
In addition TO Compiegne, committees
are also working at Cologne for the dis
position of raw material, at Rotterdam
on arrangement concerning shipments o!
food and at Spa concerning the details
& OF taking over German shipping. The
& conlmtttee at Rotterdam is the same one
X that looked after Belgian relief worl
BEFORE the armistice was signed.
Air Commission Makes Progress
The aeronautical commission of tn,
teRce conference held meeting Monda.
ID receive and consider reports from sub
con1mittees concerning military, legal
commercial and technical subjects i
was found that the subcommittee hat
not completed their work, but the com
mission approved the temporary reports
Submitted