The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-02-18
EXPERTS OF FRANCE ARE
PLANNING ADVANCE IN
CASE OF REFUSAL TO PAY
Reparation and Disarma-
ment Agreement to b
Strictly Enforced.

o. COs Aos N<ASSS~S~~
Press. s.)-Measures to be taken tn
the event that it is necessary 70
coerce Germany to fulfill allied rep
aration and disarmament terms
were discussed at yesterdays con-
ference between Premier BRAND.
War Minister Barthou, Marshals
Foch and Petain, General Weygand
and others, the Echo d'Paris says
The military experts Of France
already have planned down to tho
smallest detail the advance or
French troops toward q secret
destination, in case Of such m
eventuality, it is declared. Tho
class of 1919 will be kept with the
coors, and the class OF 1918 will
be called up, and arrangements
have also been made to extend the
French occupation area into the
Coblenz district, should the Wash
lington administration decide to re-
3 cali American forces from Ger
many.
: The Franco-Polish military and
I economic convention was also an
: der discussion, and it 10 expected
the pact will be signed before the
e fend of the week, the Newspaper
states.
I'll French flAns. =
~ Paris, Feb. 1S.-(United Press.)
. France today began military
Preparations to compel German
> obedience to her reparatiOns de-
- ,mands.
~ Under terms Of the allied agree
ment France was left . free hAnd
in taking whatever action she b.
lieves necessary against Germany.
A strong French faction is call.
ing attention to the havoc Great
r ed in France by the Germans. They
z want to see German cities laid
waste.
The Echo de Paris pointed out
5. today that the French soon Will
be left practically alone in the oc-
cupation of Germany. 1t is ex-
pScted here that United States
troops will be withdrawn soon aft
er the new administration Is IN
in Office.
=. Ostensibly these military prep
VA arations are to meet the shortage
le- created by the expected withdraw
ON al of Americans. Back of it. &C
,u- cording to reports in official circles
= is the strong demand OF the French
Is that Germany be made to pay a
tor least the sum named by the rep
,au arations commission necesstatini
putting France in a position to en-
80, force the demand.
Marshal Foch is known to hav
~ ~ prepared plans for all possible con
;nh tingencies.
lcn London, Feb. IS. (By the Associa
mn, ted Press Lloyd George, IN
oVo prime minister. declared in tn
oe- house of common today that h
Lral stood by his pledge that German
IN must pay to the limit Of her ca
ana pacity.
mes The prime minister was discus!
we ing the German reparations que'
,co ton in answering Horatio Bottom
ley's arraignment OF the govern
mis- ment's policy of alleged inaptitut
ion, in regard to forcing Germany
ame comply with the reparations d.
mands, the provision for the tri
ele- of war criminals and other portion
$ of tof the peace treaty.
Tho "The whole point is as to Il
; he limits of Germany's capacity
nner pay" he said.
ppe l.U The allies. the premier adde
had taken the best advice availah
lopS and had summoned the ablest m
illd- to be found, on whose advice {
pof- present demands had been mat
and the allies were carrying O
than the peace terms to the utmost
3 III their power,
'rov- Germany, he pointed out, had Z
liyefed bonds to the allies, but
value of these bonds depended
,oa the value OF the German secur
~, ~ at the present moment.
'e . " Lloyd George laid stress on
VIC difficulty of exacting an tndemn
nier in another country.
"YOu can easily collect from g
Is 10 many any indemnity you imp
ed TO within reasonable limits" he y
con- ed, but how are you going
:. the transfer it here?"
There is much loose thinking
de- this subject" he concluded.
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