New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-04-29
REFUSE GERMAN PLEA
HARDING TURNS DOWN REQUEST
TO INTERVENE.
BERLIN GOVERNMENT DECLARES
ITSELF READY TO ACCEPT
AMERICAS TERMS.
Western Newspaper Union News Service, }

Western Newspaper Union News Service
Washington, April 22.-The Amerl
can government has refused an urgent
request Of the German government that
President Harding mediate the ques
tion of ~reparations between Germany
and the allies and fix the sum Ger
many is to pay.
The United States agreed, however
that if the German government would
formulate promptly such proposals re
garding reparatiOns "as would present
a proper basis for discussion il would
"consider bringing the matter to the
attention of the allied governments in
Il manner acceptable to them in order
that negotiations may be speedily
resumed"
Germany's appeal, signed by Chan
cellor F~ehrenbach and Foreign Minis
ter SimonS. was directed to President
Harding. 1t was answered by Secre-
tary Hughes after II conference with
the President.
The texts of both the appeal and
the reply have been made public. The
communication from Berlin said the
German government was ready and
willing to agree without qualifica-
ton or reservation" to pay such sum
as the President might find just and
right and ito fulfill, in letter and
spirit, all the provisions of any award
that may be made by him"
In reply, Secretary Hughes said /:
This government could not agree to
mediate the question of reparations
with a view to acting as umpire in its
settlement. Impressed, however, with
the seriousness of the issues involved
as they affect the world, the United
States feels itself deeply concerned
with the question of obtaining an early
and just solution.
This government strongly desires
that there should be an immediate re-
sumption of negotiations, and reiter-
ates its n hope that the German
government will formulate such pro-
IlOSdlH as NOuiu pltseh' l'opti paS'7
for discussion. Should the German
government take this course this gov
eminent will consider bringing the mat
ter to the attention of the allied gov
ernments in a an acceptable to
them in order that negotiations may
speedily be resumed
Germany's appeal was regarded here
as remarkable. 1t was pointed out
that il was directed to the head of a
nation with which Germany still is
technically at war and which has
troops on it's soil. Reference to the
state of war was made in the German
communication, the chancellor and for
eign minister declaring that notwith-
standing this they petitioned the Pres
ident "in the name of the German gov
eminent and German people with
1.-THE confident hope that the appeal
would be granted.
Germany has until May to meet the
allies demands that the first Install
ment in cash on the r%eparatiOns bill be
paid. Premiers Lloyd George Of Great
Britain and BRAND of France are TO
meet in England to discuss measures
to be taken if Germany fails to meet
the demands. 1t has been reported
France would insist on the occupation
of additional territory and other pen
alties in the event of failure TO comply.
What steps Germany has taken 10
meet the demands or to what extent
new PREPARATIONS proposals have been
prepared are not known here. From
the urgent nature of the German APP
peal it was the belief Of some officials
and diplomats that the Berlin govern
ment found itself in an extreme posi-
ton.