The New York herald., 1921-05-01
TOOLATE NOW FOR
GERMANS TO ACT
Even if They Should Accept
BRAND Would Demand
Guarantee.
RUHR BASIN TO BE HELD
No Question of a Weeks
Grace, Says Premier, Bent
on Quick Action.
BELGIUM AGREES TO PLAN
When Enforced, Reparations
Will Be Discussed With Es-
sen i'm Allies Hands.
BELGIUM AGREES TO PLAN

Special Cable 10 THE NEW YORK HERALD.
Copyright, 1891, BY THK NEW YoRK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau,
London, April 80.
There is no question of weeks
grace for Germany" Premier BRAND
OF France said to The NEW York HER
AID correspondent here when he re-
turned to the Carlton Hotel this eve
ming after the meeting of the allied
Supreme Council. The French are
bent on quick action.
Even if Germany were to como
through tomorrow with a message
accepting the full terms Of the Paris
demands, the French would favor oc-
cupation OF the Ruhr as a guarantee.
In this connection there is a report
here that such acceptance by Ger
many Is now proposed in Berlin,
where the Fehrenbach Cabinet is said
to be considering such move in view
of the German Governments failure
to hear from President Harding. If
such an offer comes. it is probable
that it will be accepted, although Ger
many will be a defaulter at midnight
tonight.
1t is the French thesis that penalties
applying to a defaulter must be put
into effect.
Too Late to Change Plan.
There is a powerful element of Brit
ish opinion which is playing for delay.
While M. BRAND was making his pep
perry statement at the Carlton Hotel this
evening, the official communique by the
council reflected this tone. Several pow
erful advisers of Mr.. Lloyd George had
urged that no action against Germany
be taken until the last possible moment.
The Prime Minister was reported in
one quarter here tonight 70 have urged
that a formal ultimatum be served on
Germany, giving her seven days to an
swer.
Before the Supreme Couniil this after
noon, however, Premier Brian Is un-
derstood to have said
Another ultimatum? And another
meeting of the Supreme Council over
the same thing?"
Lord d'Abernon, British Ambassador
to Berlin, who returned here yesterday
was in constant conference with Foreign
office officials to-day. 1t was reported
that he brought TO London with him
important explanations of the Ger
man terms. The only important ex-
PLANTATION he brought here. however.
was a clarification Of what the Ger
mans meant in their annuities proposal,
although he was unable to give any
vital data upon which could be based
the present value OF the German offer
or how 1t Is to be extended through
time
Despite the statement by the British
Prime Minister in the House of Commons
Thursday that the German offer was
totally unacceptable. it is known that
the pressure on him has not been re-
laxed to cause lim to demand further
delay in putting the penalties into effect
Lloyd George IS in fortunate position,
however. that in almost anything he does
he will not have to do a single thing in
volving actual, as distinct from moral
commitments.
The situation Is that. lacking complete
agreement by Germany with the terms
of the Paris accord of the Allies. nothing
can stop the occupation OF the Ruhr
district. Also II Is probable that even
II Germany accepts the Paris figures of
226. .00G.000,000 marks gold Premier
BRAND will succeed. with the help of
Belgium, in enforcing the stand that the
Ruhr should be occupied in view of Ger
many's palpnble default. The terms OF
the reparation settlement will then be
discussed with Essen in allied hands
Disarmament Another Count.
Against those persons here who are
urging delay in the occupation of the
Ruhr area--and among them is j. l..
Garvin. editor of the Obscrver-France
protagonists are citing that 1t Is not only
a question of reparation in which Ger
many defaults but also she is in de-
fault in disarmament. The French are
pressing this point hard, and even Mr..
Garvin admits that there is truth In this.
One of the foremost members of the
French delegation here told THE New
YORK HERALD correspondent tonight
that the deliberate sham" Of the pres
ent undertaxed Germany, with the de
liberate depression of the value of the
mark" constitute a more serious attack
on British prosperity than even a COM
pletely shattered Germany would be. At
the same time he insisted that It was
not q completely shattered Germany
that France wants.