The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-05-03
France Intends to Pay.

payment of any of their debts, external
or internal.
France Intends to Pay.
1t became known today. incidentally,
that former Premier Niviani on his recent
trip to the United States took occasion TO
advise the American government that
France considers her debt 4 just Obliga-
lion and that She had every expectation of
paying it at the earliest possible moment
The British government has similarly eN-
pressed itself in informal discussion.
There have indeed been no suggestions,
DthCial or unofficial. except that from
Germany, since the Harding adminiStra-
hon came into power looking toward the
cancellation or discOunting Of any of the
foreign debts growing out of the war. Mel
Eotiations are about to begin with Great
Britain for the funding of the interest
and principal IN such a way as VIII en-
Ible Great Britain to distribute her an
Qual paymcntS n the satisfaction of the
| United States. Although the British can
not pay much either on the Interest or
| principal for the next few years. our gov
| eminent is just aS well pleased because
any huge shipment of gold would tend to
lnbalance international exchange and
/ weaken the power of Europeans to buy
American products. As exchange gets
Strengthened out, more payments viii come
INTO the treasury from abroad, but the
public can hardly expect the advances
from the allies to be of sufficient size dur
4 Is NthA 'AN AfN N'1lN ne titF Alil' T.
IAN income tax rate. The next genera
ZION alone will benefit from the allied pay
mentS, though il Is quite possible the
treasury Will some day issue securities
based upon the British and allied prom
tSeS and that the American investors will
thus relieve the treasury of its burden.
Merely an Observer.
For the moment. the American govern
nent is almost n disintcrcStcd observer i'm
he r~eparatiOuS negotiations, The meet
ng in London of the allies has failed to
RAW the United States into the discus
lOn officially. The decision to give Ger
nany more time to consider an acceptance
# the allied proposition meets with ap-
0royal here because Washington has al.
ways had a lingering hope that moral
WaSlOn would influence Germany to &C
nept and make physical coercion uunec.
Sary. While the allies are formulating
their proposition, the government here i,
merely blding its time hoping in some
way to be Of help in solving the tangle
1ut Withholding a reply to the recent
'crman proposal until the allies indiCat,
What kind of a reply they want made
The American government declines to b.
] n the position of adjudiCating the COntTO
vcrsy and merely wishes to reflect tn,
allied viewpoint in any cOunter-Communi
cation sent to Germany. The news from
Berlin that the government there woul,
make no move until a reply came from
{ President Harding or Secretary Hughes
nav hasten some response from this gov
$ 'rnment, but it will be made only afte
z full consultation with the allies.
: \ Forward Step.
s The determination of the allies to nc
z oept the work of the PREPARATIONS commits
$ sion a. a basis instead of the figures of tn
( supreme councils experts is regarded her
q rs a step forward, q move in COnformit
( With international law. The Versatile
reaty provided that the PREPARATION con
y mission should fix the size of the linden
& lity, but the allies have been disposed (
fix up their own program without regaT
to that commissions findings. Now th5
Z The reparations commission has Spokel
3 the allies revert to the treaty as n has
FOR their demands and they put German
II the position of refusing to live up
he treaty she signed if indeed she decline
z 70 accept the findings of the PREPARATION
. commission. They thus demonstrates. to
4 how absurd would be the tranSference
: he reparatiOn controversy to another i
81 ternational commission. when Germany
unwilling to accept the findings of cor
mission provided for under a treaty bca
~ ing her signature. OF course. Ameri,
vas supposed to be represented on Il
separations commission and GernaI
hoped the experts from the United Stat
would pare down the bill. Technically.
full commission has not acted. but the a