Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-02-06
ACCEPT INDEMNITY
lis LLOYD GEORGES
WARNING TO Berlin
British Premier Answers Ger.
man Foreign Minister in
First Speech.
SAYS REFUSAL RESULTS
FROM A MISC0NCEPTI0N
Could Enforce Payment of Full Bill
Based on Provisions of Yer.
sailles Treaty.
by the Associated Press.

"' the Associated Fress.
BIRMINGHAM. England. February
S.-The British prime minister's ad.
vice to Germany is to accept the bill
for reparations as formulate by the
supreme council at Paris.
Our claim is a righteous one ana
we must enforce it," Mr., LLOYD
George declared in q speech here To.
day. when he received the freedom
OF the city of Birmingham. He re.
piled to the speech in the reichstaR
recently by DR.. Walter Simons. In
which the German foreign minister
stated that the reparations plan
could not be accepted by Germany a.
basis for negotiations.
"A great part of this speech" the
premier said, was based on a COM
plete misconception of what had been
done at Paris. Such misconceptions
could be cleared up in the forthconn.
ing London conference II a full bin
were sent to Germany according to
the Versailles treaty she would be
compelled to accept 1t. but 1 fail 70
see how that would improve mat
ters, and I very respectfully advise
DR.. Simons to take the Paris bill.
If he has any alternative proposals
the allies are prepared to consider
them. 80 long as the proposals rep
resent bona fide effort to liquidaae
the liabilities Of Germany. We aee
willing that Germany should pay N
under conditions which best suit l1pr
own means. requirements and rn-
sources. but IL it is a mere attempe
to evade payment we cannot put 6p
with that
Msrally Bsuna 70 Ray. s IS
Mr.. Lloyd George called attention
to the faCEthat Before the last eiec-
tion he had smphasixed that ,Germa6v
was morally bound to pay f6f -
wanton damage she had inflicted. but
that one could only get from q debtor
what tho latter was capable Of psy-.
ing.
Germany, he said, had not yet been
taxed to the level Of Great Britain
and France, and II was intolerable
that a country held responsible for
the war and which had suffered NO
damage should have lighter burden
than her vietims.i
Speaking fat . banquet tonight. the
premier again referred to Germany.
Exchanges will have to be stabil-
fzed," he said. II have an idea that
Germany 10 not trying to stabiliks
hers"
Germany, he continued. was .
strong and powerful nation and NJ
should be made to pay. He wouid
tell DR.. simons. when he met nm
in London. that Germany was nor
making real effort to pay her wAH
Referring to home condition.. the
premier declared that the nation SIM
ply was going through difiiculties II.
evitable after a great war; but M
did not doubt it would weather TIE
storm as it did after the Napoiecnia
wars. sa
Let us stand together" he III
cit Is unity that will epf
able us to win. This Is no time 6
be pulling both ways"
Declaring that disarmament Of 01fHs
many had been accelerated since I'm
Spa conference, Mr.. Lloyd Geotx1s
said by July she must be compeile9
to conform more completely with tn.
treaty of Versailles with respect
for turning out cannon.
1--WE don't want any more trouble
from that quarter" Mr.. Lloyd George
said. He stated the allies were
taking steps to assist in the restora.-
lion Of normal conditions In central
Europe.