New-York tribune., 1919-07-10
France Asks
Allies to Help
Pay War Bill
Former Commerce Minister
Says the Nation Has Not
Received the Financial
A;d That 1t Is Entitled To

PARIS, July 9.-Conversations are
going on between France and the Allied
ana associated powers looking to finan-
clal cooperation in liquidating the war
debt, according to statement made in
the Chamber of Deputies to-day by Louis
klotz, the Minister of Finance, during a
discussion of the project for further
advance to the government of 3,OOO,-
100000 francs ($6OO,o00,00O) by the
Bank of France. The plan embodies
authorization to the bank to issue 4,OOO,-
ooO,Oo0 france more paper money, bring
ing the total paper circulation up to
100000, 100000 francs $4,000 000,0 ,0Oo):
Previously several deputies had criti-
cised the government for the vague
ness of its financial policy and for its
delay in imposing additional taxes. The
French peace delegation was also criti-
cised by NJ. Peret, former Minister
of Commerce and chairman of the Bud
get Committee, for failing to insist
upon the necessity of pooling the war
expenditures. among the Allies.
"The stipulation in the treaty." he
said, sis not sufficient. We have not
obtained from our allies the financial
cooperation which in all justice we
had a right to expect.
II hope it will not be too 1ate to apply
for the cooperation of the Allies when
the moment comes to constitute the
league of nations. Cannot we appeal
to those across the sea, who have kept
their riches intact? That is the real
question"
M. Peret expressed the fear that
France, left to herself, will be unable
to balance her resources with expen-
ditures with sufficient rapidity. The
Finance Minister, in reply, said that the
signature of the treaty had not fore
closed the negotiations.
I'VE can, and we wifl," he said,
pursue with the United States and
Great Britain the necessary policy of
financial union. Conversations to that
end are already going on and will be
followed up with all the patriotism of
which we are capable"
NJ. Klotz said that the financial
situation had improved in the last
three months. While during the first
quarter the government was required
to apply to the banks for advances
totalling 4.5O0,0Oo,O00 francs ($900, ,0O0,-
000). only 1850, 100000 francs $780,
100000 had been advanced during the
second quarter, while the excess of tax
receipts over the budget estimates had
increased to 350,0O0,O0O francs ($7O,-
000,000) and current bond sales were
growing.
M. Peret estimated the present de-
ficiency at ,000,000,0OO francs an
nually.
The Chamber yesterday rejected a
bill providing for the immediate rails
ing Of the state of siege and the sup
preston of the censorship, the vote be-
sented by Stephen Pichon, the Foreign
Minister. opposed the measure.
The Socialists and the Republican
Socialists demanded the immediate
suppression of both the state of siege
and the censorship, but M. Pichon de-
clared that this step was. impossible
before the treaty of peace becomes
effective through it's ratification by
three or more powers.
1t was remarked in the lobbies after
the vote that this was the second time
the governments majority had been re-
duced to hardly more than fifty, the
smallest margin on which any govern
ment had continued in power since the
beginning Of the war.
To-day's Paris newspapers comment
at length on the smallness of the gov
ernment's majority. The decision to
continue the present conditions is at
tributed bv "Le Journal" to the feeling
Of the Chamber that the government
should not be overthrow by the refu-
raj TO it Of a few weeks delay, even
though the great majority Of the mem
bers would have liked nothing better
than to have done with the conditions
which placed such heavy drag upon
the libertXo of the people.