The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-30
Europe's "Big Business
Heads Now in Paris
With Scheme.
FRENCH LEADERS
ARE SKEPTICAL
Conclusions Will Be Part
OF Coming Cannes
Meeting.

Belgium, and big business OF those
nations. held their first get-to-
gether meeting in the Hotel Crilion
tonight at a dinner given by Min
.ster Loucheur. of the department
Of devastated regions.
They were brought there by
Loucheur so that they might feel
out one another on the stupendous
operation in rebuilding the economic
structure of Europe. Thus 1t. may
be said there began a preliminary
Cannes which is to attempt to solve
the huge financial and economic
problems.
First Meeting To-day.
The formal meetings of these
financial and economic experts be-
gin tomorrow the clock room Of
the foreign office. with the purpose
of agreeing on the broad principle
of an international conference to
include Germany and Russia The
.cnclusions of these meetings win
be presented to the supreme council
at Cannes as recommendations.
French big business is skeptical
and II Is understood some repre-
sentatives refused to attend the
dinner. Authorities in a semi Official
position also are doubtful, holding
that France will serve her own in
her from Germany and not by en-
barking upon vast projects whose
results are uncertain.
details of the scheme.
There is some talk of proposing
that the corporation be empowered
to- issue international currency.
The French press generally Is un
sympathetic to the plan as thus ou,-
lined. -
The German reparations expert
Herr Rathenau. is stopping at the
crillon "on private business" he de-
clares. He intends, however, to dis
euss various matters with the French
authorities
Premier BRAND, speaking to- the
senate. partly lifted the veil covering
his preliminary talks with Premier
Lloyd George in London and Paris
regarding the program to be followed
at Cannes. He admitted France was
considering taking part in a scheme
for reorganization of Russia.
He was interrupted by former Pre-
mier Ribot, who in referring to re-
ports that European financial con-
ference is planned, declared Lloyd
George has an elastic intellect. He
does not hesitate to change his view
point. He confers with city banker ;
while Rathenau and SHINES are lis
tening"
BRAND replied by afirming the
fullest faith in the British premier S
promise that French reparations
claims should receive first considera-
tion.
Lloyd George planned an interna-
tional loan whereby France would be
paid. but 1t is impossible to carry
out because We are up against for
midable power of the banks" BRAND
said. Rehabilitation of Europe is
impossible uniess all nations collab
crate"
PARIS, Dec. 29.-Dr Walter
Rathenau. former German minister
of reconstruction. together with DR..
Fischer, chairman of the German
war debt commission, may be in
vited to Cannes in a consultative
capacity to discuss a vast 'projec,
for the economic restoration of
Germany.
The situation is such thai /
must preserve the utmost discre.
tion," Rathenau said today on his
arrival. II can not say whether
the allies have invited me to
Cannes, what my present errand
may be, or whether 1 shall be pres
ent at the supreme council meet
ing"
New Plan Sought.
In spite ~of Rathenau's silence,
however. 1t is understood that the
outgrowth of the meeting of the
reparations commission here will
be an attempt to devise a scheme
whereby Germany may be fnan-
cially rehabilitated. Such a move
ment will necessarily include a dis.
cussion of the Russian situation.
An official communique issued by
the reparations commission after
its meeting today reported that the
German delegates had asked
whether the allied note Of Decem-
ber 16, which demanded payment
of the January and February rep
arations instailments. required an
immediate reply. The commission
replied that that Is for Germany
alone to, determine" but that no
request for an extension could be
considered until a reply was re-
ceived.
Ask for Delay.
The Germans thereupon ask ed
postponement Of further discussion
until tomorrow OF Saturday.
\ Dr. Fischer has brought from
Berlin certain new propositions re-
garding the January and February
payments, and other documents
with which he will attempt to
prove Germany's efforts to balance
her budget and execute her nnacial
promises.
BERLIN, Dec. 3s.-From high au-
thority in Berlin government circles
it IL learned that DR.. Fischer, chair
man of the German war debt COM
mission, has in Paris, a complees
statement of the amounts available
in cash for the payment of the jan
uary and February indemnity in
stailments.
Fischers figures are not exact,
and can not be guaranteed by the
German government because OF the
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