Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1921-02-04
Supreme Council Attempts to
Settle German Preparations
and D~iSarmamentS.
EXTEND Time FOR LATTER
Austria's Plight to Be Investigated
Morris and Shidehara Devise Plan
for Acknowledgements Accord
Railways Prepare to
Ask Reduction of
Wages.
BY EDWARD W. PIcKARD.

Germany, Austria and Turkey were
on the anxious seat last week and va
rious other nations were only less con-
cerned. For the supreme council of
the allies was in session in Paris dis
cussing ~reparations, disarmament, the
salvation of Austria and the revision
of the treaty of Sevres. Between ses-
sions Premier Lloyd George lunched
and dined and talked in private with
Premier BRAND, and gradually won
him over to a policy of greater con-
Citation. 1t Is probable that this was
quite agreeable to NJ. BRAND, but he
had to put up some argument to salts
fly the French people, who are doomed
to disappointment.
When the matter of German repara-
lions came up, Doumer, the French
minister of finance made along adj
dress in which he insisted that France
must be paid 100000 100000 gold
marks. He stated, as the policy of
France, that Germany must be pre-
scented with an itemized bill for wal
damages caused by her, and that the
supreme council should then fix the
amount that Germany must pay within
the mex five years. Lloyd George and
his colleagues wished to concentrate
on what Germany is able to pay, and
said there were three ways in which
she could make payment-in silver, In
gold and In goods. The discussion de-
veloped that Great Britain has objec-
lions to the two last named. 1t Is held
that If Germany Is compelled to pay
oyer any considerable amount Of the
hundred million gold marks she is sup
posed to be holding as a reserve, the
mark would become practically worth
less and the economic situation in Eu-
rope would be worse than ever. The
British also point out that If Ger
many pays in goods the markets would
be glutted and English industries
ruined. One other method of partial
payment to France has been proposed
the sending of German laborers to
reconstruct the devastated regions.
But this is opposed by France on the
ground that the people of those re-
gions are without employment and
need the payment for doing the re-
construction work.
1t was on the question of disarm-
ament that the French yielded most.
General Nollet's report said that the
Germans were not faithfully carrying
u the treaty terms in that respect,
but this was contradicted by the re-
port of the British General Bingham.
The councils military experts, with
Marshal Foch as chairman, then got to-
gether and agreed to abandon the orig
inal French demand that the civil mil
itary organizations of Bavaria and
East Prussia be d%isbanded at once.
A delay until July l was granted, but
Foch insisted on guarantees by mill
tary occupation of the Ruhr district If
the terms were not executed by that
date. In view of the stubborn atti-
tude maintained by the governments
of Bavaria and East Prussia and the
leaders of the organizations In ques-
ton, 1t is not easy to see how the cen
trail government at Berlin can bring
about the disarmament by July l If, as
1t says. 1t cannot do SO now.
The plea for immediate relief for
starving Austria. made to the supreme
council by Sir William Goode, British
representative in Vienna, and other
representatives of the allied nations,
was made in vain. The plan proposed
by GoOde was that Great Britain and
France should lend Austria ESQ, 1000 600
in ten annual installments. and he
suggested the United States might