The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-04-03

French politics at the moment, de-
 clares in his cableeram today that
 France is reassurcd to the for
 eign policy of the Harding ad-
 ministration. France believes the
 Knox resolution declaring n sep
 arate pence with Germany is dead.
 That says M. Tardieu, Is a good
 beginning.)
 Paris, April 2.-(Special.) Europe expects soon series of acts defining the entire foreign policy of the new administration at Washington. Ru- mors of a note from Mir. Hughes, the Secretary of State, printed here within the last few days, but subse- quently denied, aroused lively curi- oslty as to the part America is to play in the world settlement.
 France, somewhat worried for a time, is convinced now that Germany will find no comfort in Washington in her efforts to avoid paying just rep aratlon for the destruction wrought in our northern provinces
 shall refuse to make a choice be- tween diverse opinions as to what Americas final attitude is to be, be- cause the American government is
 
 and preparation, and anything like pressure or suggestion from former associate would be unseemly and un- welcome
 1t Is obvious, however. that
 President Harding and his asso-
 ciates, after examining the world
 situation, have recognized the
 absolute impossibiIity of n straight
 out rupture between the United
 States and Europe, which some
 considered desirable a few months
 ago.
 FORMULA BEING SOUGHT
 A formula is being sought, and that in itself is encouraging to those Eu- ropeans who feel that our wartime solidarity ought to continue in peace time in an appropriate form.
 said few months ago to re- publican senator of tho United States:
 We only hope your administration will not begin with separate peace with Germany"
 I was thinking of the Knox resolu- tion. l hear now that this resolution has been dropped. That is good be- ginning.
 France asks nothing of America that would entail an abandonment of prln- ciples. She asks only that the United States look at European facts as they are and without prejudice. That ob- viously is what the Harding adminis- tration is doing and France congratu- iates herself thereon.
 She congratuIates herself the more on the assurances which have come from Washington since tho news from. Germany continues most unsa tisfac- tory. Respecting disarma nent, the Bavarian premier makes inflammatory speeches, stubbornly refusing to dis band the psuedo police organizations, which in case of war would furnish nuclei and munitions for g general mobilization.
 Respecting reparations. the Berlin o0o,000 marks demanded by the com mission as the first installment of $2o,- 900, 100000 due May l.
 GERMAN TAX SITUATION
 In my last dispatch l gave certain figures showing the German tax re- ceipts between April, 1920, and Jan uary, 1921. l will now add that, com pairing the receipts of those 10 months with the same months of the previous year, the increased taxes collected amounted to 26 900, 900, 900 marks The increased postal receipts were 2,0o0- 100000 and increased railroad receipts 5000. 000, 900.
 The customs taxes aJsvfed on tobacco, beer spjrits, wiz sugar and matches by .gyJzf 4 Ace z 'ermany also furnish soS sf striking Comparisons. It is re- *~.4led. for instance, that these taxes z tai 14 francs per capita in Germany sthd 142 francs per capita in France, pr 10 times more. must apologize for citing too many figures, but figures are more eloquent than phrases.
 To complete the story. remember that France already had advanced 3S,- 000,000,000 francs on account of pen sions and damages chargeable to Ger many 1t is thus easy to understand that Frenchmen are unanimous in thinking that present conditions can no longer be tolerated. have just returned from trip through the devastated regions. Thanks to the admirable work of the peasants. agriculture has been resumed nearly everywhere. But the people are living in frightful novels. Yet Ger many, the cause of the war and the destruction, with her own means of production unimpaired refuses to pay and forgets the treaty of Versailles obliges her to pay reparations before all else. Americans must realize this situa- tion in all its details. Their conscience |