The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-04-22
j. s. DESIRES
PREPARATIONS
NEGOTIATION
America Anxious To See Re-
sumption of Conference But
Harding Is Prompt In De-
clining to Mediate.
ALL EUROPE COMMENTS
(By Associated Press3


tiations between Germany and the al
lies regarding reparations- Secretary
Hughes says in a note sent yesterday
to Berlin refusing the German request
that President Harding mediate in the
controversy and fix the sum Germany
must pay.
Mr.. Hughes reiterates the earnest
hope" of the American government
that Germany will formulate promptly
such proposals as would present a
proper basis for discussion and says
if Germany will take this course, the
United States will consider bringing
the matter to the attention of the al
lies.
Germany's request that the Presi-
dent intervene as mediator in the
reparations dispute received yester-
day through Commissioner Dresel at
Berlin was in the nature of an urgent
appeal lin the name of the German
government and the German people"
Reply Prompt.
The promptness with which Presl
dent Harding declined to undertake
the role of mediator and umpire occa-
stoned little surprise in Washington
and was received with satisfaction by
the allied diplomats. The German
note was taken to the White House
late yesterday by Secretary Hughes
and the reply went forward a short
time afterward.
The answer contained just % words.
1t said the American government
could not agree to mediate with a view
| to acting as umpire in the settlemen:
of the reparations dispute, but ex-
pressed the deep concern of the Unit
| ed States with the question of obtain
| ing an early and just settlement and
then suggested that Germany como
| forward with just proposals for a set
tlement
U. S. Determined.
The United States is determined
that Germany shall pay to the limit
of her ability. This position has been
repeatedly stated by officials of the
Harding administration and was made
perfectly clear in the American reply
to Germanys first memorandum &c
Washington on reparations received
last March "a
Secretary Hughes told Germany
then frankly that the United States
stood with the allies in holding Ger
many responsible for the war and
! therefore morally bound to make resti-
tition to the full extent of her ability
to pay. Germany, in the menoran-
dun under reply. had admitted her
liability and said that she would wei
come an examination by unbiased eX-
perts who would determine how much
she should pay.
LONDON, April 22.-Dramatic eff
forts on the part of Germany to in
duce the United States to arbitrate
the reparations question between Ber-
lin and the entente governments, and
the refusal of the Washington govern
ment to sit in judgment on the merits
of the veXing problem, have lent new
interest to the conference at Lympne
on Sunday between Premier BRAND
of France and Prime Minister Lloyd
George of Great Britain. The ex
pressed desire of the United States
that there be IAN immediate resump-
ton of negotiations" has brought into
the situation a new element, and il
has been popularity supposed the two
! premierS would merely consider plans
for further occupation of German ter
ritory and not renewal of exchanges
between London and Paris and Ber-
lin.
The new factors entering into the
situation make it probable that Mr.
Lloyd George and M. BRAND will find
themselves called upon to make some
sort of answer to the implication in
the United States to Berlin that fur
ther negotiations should be COM
menced.
/ Perfect Plans.
It is known that military authorities
of France have perfected all plans for
the occupation of cities and towns in
the industrially important Ruhr dis
trict Of Germany and have formulated
economic penalties that will be put
into operation when occupa ton Of
these places has been completed
Germany at the same time she ap-
pealed to Washington sent a COM
munication to the allies rejecting the
demand that the gold holdings OF the
, Reichbank in Berlin be deposited be-
fore May 1 in either Cologne Or Cob
lenz as security for repa rations pay
mentS.
Dr. Walter Simons, German foreign
minister, will speak in the Reichstag
next Monday or Tuesday and will an
swer questions as to the allied de-
mands and the position taken by the
Berlin government. 1t may be that
during his address he will outline the
terms Germany will offer the allies
in her attempt to avert an invasion
of the Ruhr region by the French and
the enforcement Of additional penal
ties by the allies.
PARIS, April 22-French official
circles expresses disappointment to-
day that the American reply to Ger
many's request for mediation was not
: a categorical refusal, as had been ex-
pected here. The regrets were mitf-
gated, however, by satisfaction that
the United States was displaying an
active interest in the reparations
question The American answer is in
terpreted here as an invitation to Ger
many to resume negotiations with the
allies. 1t is thought that the com
munication indicates that the United
States will not continue the converse
: ton with Germany on this subject ex-
/ cept in accord with the allies Secfe.