The Washington herald., 1920-09-07
TRADE HELD UP
BY BERLIN DEBT
Allied Terms of Indemnity
Delay Exchange, Says
Expert.
GERMAN TERMS HARD
Long Time Credits De-
manded on Continent
Cause Pessimism.
GERMAN TERMS HARD
BY HENRY w. FRANCIS.
tWRshinEton HeraId-Cross Atlantic
service-SpeciaI Cable DispatchD

Paris, Sept. 6.-Until the unccr-
tainty surrounding the German in
demnity is ended and the allied
countries OF Europe can secure
their purchases and loans from the
United States, there will be very
little opening for American bust
ness in this continent.
That is the opinion Of Frank r.
Hamburger, representative of the
Detroit Board of Commerce, at the
organization conference here of the
International Chamber of Com
merCe.
The French, Belgian and Italian
viewpoints. he said. were extreme
ly difficult for an American to un-
derstand. He was by no means
hopeful Tor the early business in
terchange which. it was expected
the conferences would bring about.
Resolutions Fail.
Il was a member of the financial
committee" no said. "All the al
lied countries are looking to the
United States for financial aid and
long term credits at low interest
rates, also for the purchase of raw
materials they ask facilities such
as are not accorded the American
buyer. The desires of the allied
business men in the matter OF
American financing were brought
out in a great number of resolu-
tions presented by the foreign del
egates. the majority Of which were
not adopted and Cosld not possibly
have been adopted by any business
group. On" resolution, for exam
pie. would have made all trade ac-
CeptanCes renewable when the very
essence OF trade acceptance is its
non-renewable quality. / opposed
that resolution on the floor 1t was
typical OF the spirit OF the allied ma
tiOns towards America.
wait for Debt Payment
The United States can do little
until the amounts France and Bel
gium and italy are to receive from
Germany are fixed. The feeling Of
France and Belgium towards Ger
many. perhaps justified. is extreme
ly bitter, and il is patent they will
insist on the maximum amount de-
termined by the rcparations COM
mittec. The American delegation
as anxious that the indemnity
matter be specdcd up. and ii was
thought that perhaps resolutions
could be passed calling upon the
proper authorities to fix the dam
ages sooner than Is provided for
in the treaty. namely Nay. 1921
In an unofficial way. an effort was
made by som" Of the DELEGATES to
suggest 4 resolution providing for
some sort Of compromise on the
immediate fiNation Of tho indem-
nifty but ii was soon realized that
such an effort would he bitterly op-
posed by France and Belgium.
Belgium Recovering.
Il have been all through Bel
gium and l have nothinS but ad-
miration for the people there.
They are coming hack fast: their
farms look good; they are hard at
work; their courage is apparent
wherever you go. Belgium has a
store of wealth in her Congo pos
sessions. and these. II developed.
will be a wonderful aid in bring
ing Belgium back to normal
of France, l cannot say as much.
The spirit OF the French people is
basically fine. but the outlook here
is not as COod. The American com
ing to France with the notion that
the purchasing power Of his dollar
is greatly enhanced by reason OF
deprecated exchange is dreaming
an idle dream. because prices. so
tar as | have observed. are set to
meet the deprecated money.
Copyright. 1920 Cross-AtIantic Newspaper
Service InC.l