The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-18
TOLERANCE MARKS
ALLIED ATTITUDE
TOWARD GERMANS
Indemnity Conferences
Bring About Relaxa-
ton of Severity.

A number Of significant events
have occurred during the past week
or two which make it appear that
all those most Immediately con-
cerned with the problem OF German
reparations are adopting more
concilIatory attitude and are max
ing honest efforts to face the realt-
ties of the situation and TO work
out a method of procedure which
has a reasonable chance of success.
/ Conferences which have been held
in London between members of the
British government and DR.. Rath-
enau. formerly German minister OF
reconstruction. and later with NJ.
Loucheur, the French minister of
reconstruction, have undoubtedly
contributed much toward smoothing
over the differences which developed
between England and France over
the Wiesbaden agreement. the
Turkish Nationalist treaty. and the
BRAND and Curzon speeches. IL is
assumed NJ Loucheur has succeeded
in presenting to the British the
| It
Wiesbaden agreement in such a
| fashion that the earlier opposition
disappeared. Just what DR.. Rath-
enau accomplished in London be-
sides explaining his side of this
agreement has not been revealed
but II Is rumo.ed that he had sug-
gested to the British government
that similar agreement be nego-
4 tiated by which Germany could
cake reparation payments TO Eng
| land in materials and services. The
question OF q German English com
bination for the exploitation and
development OF Russia was doubt
less also considered.
French ConciIiatsry.
In France and Germany also
there are encouraging signs OF a
conciliatory attitude. A high French
official has admitted that France is
willing to foreco cash payments
( from Germany since il is realized
| that the Germans must be given
time and perhaps assistance in or
der to put their finances on a firm
basis IL future separations are to
be expected. The French are not
ready TO agree 10 any reduction of
the total reparations due them. but
they have no objection II England
I decides to reduce her share The
/ French regard il as a sufficient
| concession on their part to have
agreed TO accept payment in kind
during period OF FIVE years There
are unofficial suggestions that NJ.
Loucheur has a plan which would
involve the cancellation OF all debts
and scaling down OF the German
reparations. This report, however.
has received no official sanction as
yet.
In Germany there are evidences
OF a serious attempt at financial
reforms. An effort is to be made
TO wipe out the deficit in Govern
ment enterprises by general rails
ing of rates. Postal, telegraph, and
telephone charges will be 1000
per cent above pre-war figures, and
! freight and passenger rates will
be raised to 1000 per cent or 5000
per cent above those Of pre-war
times. Furthermore. Chancellor
Wirth is enerEeticalIy pushing his
bill which will enable the govern
ment TO force compulsory credit
on industries which are to be or
ganized into a credit association.
BY this means the gold values and
the assets OF Germany's trades
and industries will be placed at
the disposal OF the government.
Naturally. a measure as radical as
this is being vigorously opposed,
but DR.. Wirth has made il plain
that his government must stand or
fall on this program.