The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1921-04-23
THINK ALLIES
APPROVE OF
HUGHES note
Becomes Known that Secre-
tarv of State Discussed Ger
man Request and Our Re
ply with ENJOYS. ,-.
AWAIT BERLIN MESSAGE
fBy Associated Press,

fBy Associated Press)
WASHINGTON, April 23-Approval
of the course OF American government
with respect to the reparations con-
troversy is believed to have been in
dicated by the allies diplomats here
before the despatch OF Secretary
Hughes reply to the Berlin appeal
that President Harding act as med
iator and fix the sum Germany must
pay.
1t became known today that the
German request and American reply
were discussed informally by the Sec
retary of state and the European am
bassadors, and it is understood that
the foreign office ENJOYS were ap-
praised Of the character Of the Ameri
can reply in the interim between the
receipt of the German memorandum
and the sending of the response.
State department officials were
awaiting today the answer from Ber-
lin, which, press dispatches from
that city say was about to be made
after being placed before the Reichs-
tag Until it's receipt officials are
Withholding comment on the whole
subject. II is expected, however, that
whatever proposal is made will be
submitted first to the diplomatic rep
resentatives here.
LYMPNE, April 23.-Premier Lloyd
George of Great Britain and BRAND
of France engaged in discussion Of
the French proposals for occupation
of the Ruhr basin in the event of
Germanys failure to fulfill her repara-
tions obligations and the German note
on reparations, said an official state
ment issued shortly after o'clock to-
night. The discussion will continue
| until a late hour tonight and will be
| resumed tomorrow, the statement
adds. a<...
The two statesmen will meet at the
| villa of Sir Philip Sassoon, where they
have held conferences in the past.
The French plan is broadly. a pro-
ject for administration and taxing for
the benefit of the allies the Ruhr coal
basin and some parts of the Westphal-
ian industrial district of Germany.
Report Agreement.
The two premiers were understood
general plan to be followed, but it
was said they wished to have a COM
! plete mutual understanding of what
was to be done early in May, il in
the interval the German government
does not submit acceptable proposals.
A fresh German proposal is expected
to be submitted to the allies immedi-
ately. but even its serious discussion
would seem to be conditioned upon
satisfactory guarantees of execution.
Guarantees of a material sort would
not have been expected at the time of
the London conference early in March
but the situation is regarded by the
French government as having been
greatly changed in Germany
Information gathered here this
morning indicated that Germany's lat
est offer to assist in the reconstruc-
tion of devastated areas in France and
Belgium would not be probable to ex-
ert any influence on the deliberation
Of the French and British pren,iers.
1t appears that the present German
government is in weak position, in
formation to this effect being received
from allied commissions in Berlin.
certain amount of indulgence has
been felt toward the German cabinet
because of the knowledge that it did
not possess the united support of the
country which is divided among the
imperialists. the two socialist parties.
The Centrists end the Liberals. with
the pan-German sects and the SHINES
group exerting powerful influence
! There is slight probability. according
to Official advices reaching the al
| lied governments. that these German
| political groups will be able to agree
| PARIS. April 23-Germany's neu,
| reparation proposal will be dispatched
/ to Washington this evening according
to Berlin dispatch received here this
afternoon. The cabinet met during the
afternoon, says a message. to make a
final draft of Germany's answer to
| the American note, and it is under.
stood the proposal will be embodied
! in the communication to be transmit
ted by tonight.
! Consideration of the German govern.
ments note to the United States was
completed at a meeting of the German
| cabinet last night, says a message
received here from Berlin. Party
! leaders late met with with Konstan-
tine Fehrenbach. the chancellor, to
hear a report from Dr. Walter Simons,
, foreign minister, and to express their
| opinion ON the proposals sent to Presi.
dent Harding. The meeting was Sc
cret.
| BRUSSELS, April 23.-Louis Louch-
eur. French minister of the liberated
regions, arrived in Brussels this morn
! ing and Immediately conferred with
| M. Jaspar, the foreign minister, to
whom he impaired the plan for fur
ther occupation of German territory
| in the eventuality of the non-payment
| by Germany of the reparations due
May l. M. Loucheur declared that
the Belgians need not fear a call for
mobilization of additional classes, az
! the military measures would be COM
pleted without asking either the Bel
gians or British for additional troops
beyond nominal participation 1t ia
learned, however. that the Belxian