The New York herald., 1921-08-03
WOULD CUT PAY FOR
RHINE ZONE TROOPS
Allied Foreign Ministers to
Lower Basis for British
and U. S. Soldiers.

Special Cable to THE New YORK HERALD.
Copyright, 1921. 5y THE NEW YoRK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau.
Paris, Aug. 2.
While the allied Supreme Council Is
meeting in the Quai d'Orsay here next
week. with the American Ambassador to
Great Britain, George Harvey, listening
10 the European wrangle over Upper
Silesia. another conference. wherein
Americas interests will be involved. will
be held in the French Ministry OF FL
nance without even an American listener
present.
1t has been decided 10 call the Allied
Finance Ministc-s together simulta-
neously with the meeting or the Supreme
Council to decide on new schedule OF
pay which the allied troops in the occu-
pied zone will receive from Germany.
as well as 10 discuss vital problems aris-
ing from the London reparation agree
ment and wherein individual national
interests come into full play. with every
possibility OF discord.
Germany is still pleading poverty.
while the Allies continue to demand
enormous sums OF her every year to
keep up the armies OF occupation, and
this conference, when II takes up the
question of the pay OF the allied troops
on the Rhine. may thus have serious
effect on United States finances.
Instead OF receiving reimbursement
for actual expenditures In the Coblens
zone, II is now proposed to give a fixed
sum for each soldier there. with the
average between the French soldiers
pay and that of the American dough-
boy" as the basis. 1t Is being pointed
out here that this would tighten Ger
manys burd en- at the expense OF the
American and the British War Depart
ments. Naturally there is little opposi-
tion to this from either France or Bel
GUM.
with the United States considering
the withdrawal OF it's troops from the
Coblenz bridgehead, II is believed here
that this question of compensation will
not be regarded seriously by the WASH
ington Administration, but IL the United
States decides not 20 relinquish its watch
on the Rhine. future complications are
seen.
Also the Allied Finance Ministers will
settle the question OF how much Bel
gium will receive from the first billion
gold marks paid in reparation by Ger
many. The French and the British are
both anxious TO have at least a small
share OF the initial payment by Ger
many In order to meet debts In the
United States. Therefore the meeting
OF this conference merits more than
ordinary attention by officials in WASH
ington.
As a third item on the agenda, Great
Britain Is insisting that an agreement
be reached between the Allies how much
each will accept annually from Germany
in reparations in kind, Premier Lloyd
George OF Great Britain apparently fear
ing the proposals which Louis Loucheur
French Minister of the Liberated Reg
ions. made to DR.. Walter Rathenau
German Minister OF Reconstruction, and
which gave France a hold on the Ger
man markets, while appearing on the
surface merely as detail In the repara-
ton settlement. The French Ministry
OF Finance however. considers such a
Franco German agreement as strictly
within the Treaty of Versailles and as
essential to Frances early recovery both
industrially and financially, and from
both aspects problems the interests of
the United States are not negligible.
Meanwhile preparations continue for
the Supreme Council meeting, with con-
siderable support being given the pro-
posai that next weeks session confine
itself TO tho Upper Silesian problem. the
idea being that II the Premiers arrive
at a decision in this matter. to transmit
II TO Germany and to Poland for ac-
ceptance, which would eliminate the
possibility OF an Upper Silesian insur-
rectlon and make unnecessary the send
Ing OF more allied troops TO Oppeln
This. however, would necessltatc a sec
ond meeting of the Supreme Council
later IN the month, at which the other
issues. such as the Near East. the trial
OF the German war criminals and
Albania, would be discussed.