Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-07-12
insist That Solution of
the Coal Question Will
Modify Proposals.
SSERTS MATTER OF FUEL
Is ONE OF LIFE OR DEATH
German Government Promises
to Help Rebuild Devastated
Portions of Northern France.
% ALLAY CRY FOR REVENGE
Declares Ability to Pay Indcmnitics
Depends Upon Necessary Food
and Other Materials.
rBy Assoc!4,el rre-s. I

iBy Associated Irrssl
SPA. BEILiluM. July iI.--Atter
ONE hesitation. due to the coal
uestion. the German delegates to-
lay produced their plan showing
ow Germany would deal with rep
rations. but they specified that the
lecision reached regarding coal
would modify their proposals.
The allied expern had declare /
hey did not consider that even the
ignres submitted by the Germans
|sould Justify modification OF the
protocol s!sncd July .. bat admitted
he Justice OF the German experts
bleas on two points, first. relieving
jcrnany OF the obligation OF re-
porting 10 the reparat!ons commits
zion regarding the distribution OF
loal Within Germany. and. second,
Improving the proposal 10 increase
he output by improving the food
ind welfare OF the miners and smg :
scs,.ns that the German and allied
governments discuss means TO this
md.
cnrzon Represents Hriiain.
The picnary session OF the confer
.nce began at $3.50 this evening. with
Lord Curzon representing Great
Britain. instead OF Premier Lloyd
George. who was confined 10 his
room all day with cold. The
conference Immediately took up the
coal question. the experts having
failed TO come to an Agreement.
Chancellor Fehrenbach. Dr. Smons.
Herr SHINES and others OF the Ger
man delegation had previously con-
fcrred iergthily on the subje2t.
d.. sinions q, the outset OF the
session remarked that coal was the
central point Of the whole economic
pfc o! Germany.
The solution given TO the coal
question by the experts" he said,
will react upon the different plans
OF reparat!ons proposed 10y tho Ger
man delegation. which had under
stood that an agreement which would
take into account the economic CON
diiions Judged essential TO Germany
would be arrived AT. The plans
cannot be handed over this eve
n!nG, as was expected"
Miiirranh Is Surprised.
Premier Mil!erand expressed sur
prise that the communication OF the
German plan as announced yester-
day should be brought into question
and subordinatcd 10 the experts So
luton OF the coal question.
DIR. Simons rcjoined that the Ger
man delegation had prepared plans
that must be studied as whole TO
be understood.
The German delegation retired to
reconsider the matter. and on the
resumption Of the session the For
eign Secretary declared that since the
final decision regarding coal could
not be taken until tomorrow the Ger
man delegation had decided to hand
over the plans as prepared but he
added that the Spa conference had
open discussion by the allied and
German delegates for oncsided de-
cisions on various questions.
The question of coal is a question
Of life or death TO the Germans" said
DR.. Simons. and remains the basis
for all other plans"
Premier Millcrand replied that
there could be no question of modify.
ing the treaty of Versailles on that
subject. and that 1t must be executed
DR.. Simonds thercupon handed the
reparations plan TO the genera
secretary OF the conference.
Plan Ix In Three Parts.
Tho German rcparations plan Is ir
three parts. 1t was submitted to tht
conference with the understanding
that it must be accepted as whole
The plan follows:
Part l. Section 1: The German
government considers that the pur.
pose of tho present negotiations is tc
make n final settlement OF their en-.
tire obligations for reparations.
Section 2: The German govern
ment, knowing that it is Obliged un.
der tho treaty to pay on May !
1921, 20,o00.00o,0o0 gold marks. con
elders that 1t has already paid no
only that sum, but much highe,
one. according to its accounts.
:, Section 3 sets forth that in provid
ing for the future the German gov
ernment would be unable to fulfil it:
obliGatioaaS unless tho German bud
get can bo balanced.
Provides for Food Supply.
Section 4 provides that the measur,
Of Germany's ability to pay, owing
to her weakened economic structure
requires that she should have neces
sary food, fodder. fertilizers ant
other raw materials.
Section names the principles un
der which tho German government
considers It's payments should b,
regulated (a) by annulties. (b) an,
nuities to be limited to thirty years
Various other subsections affirm
that certain sum should be agreed
upon, after tho, payment Of which
Germany should be completely free