New-York tribune., 1921-04-25
Britain Favors
French Plans
To Seize Ruhr
tccntInued from gage enc,

HilNeS~ thSui W ING AlIleS.
The Allies may make it clear, how.
than they hope for now they would dc
I so on the assumption that the United
! States has reason to believe that Ger.
many will carry out her promises and
Is prepared to compel her to do so.
The Allies also may subsequently ad-
vance the thesis, if America transm it's
1 the German offer, that as the Washing
tor government forced Europe to ac-
| cept only a small percentage of the
| total reparations Germany can fairly
| be expected to pay, America must be
content with the repayment of only q
small part of the Allied debts.
Would Keep America Out
| Both France and Great Britain would
prefer that America keep outside of
European questions unless she is will
ing to accept European guidance. They
are particularly anxious that Anfe rica
will not interfere with the occupation
of the Ruhr, and Lloyd George is being
urged by an influential body Of British
opinion to keep the United States out
of European affairs as matter of gen.
eral policy.
In these circumstances it is probable
that an American note transmitting the
German offer to the Allies would pos
sess greater immediate interest than the
German proposals themselves.
LYMPNE, April "a BY The Associated
Press).-The conversations between the
Premiers, of which there have been Ave,
of from two to three hours each, have
turned upon the French project of oc-
cupskion and economic control of more
of the Rhenish Westphalian region.
M. BRAND and M. Berthelot expounded
the plans and Mr.. Lloyd George ques-
toned the French representatives. Both
Premiers are quite agreed that the
Ruhr coal field must be occupied if
Germany continues to default in the
payments already due, or coming due
with satisfactory guarantees the terms
of the document signed at Paris Jan
uary 20 by the Allied governments.
The discussions are described by
both principals as having been those Of
intimate friends, having a common aim
and concerned only in dcvising the
most effective and prudent measures 10
attain it.
The British Prime Minister received
the American and British correspond
ents here this evening and made it
clear that the weekend conference
with M. BRAND only took the form of
informal conversations and was never
intended to formulate any conclusions.
This would be unfair, he said, until the
ministers had consulted the cabinets
and the Allies, representatives of the
latter meeting in supreme council on
Saturday next
The French plan to be put into op-
Grafton against Germany, should Ger
many fail to comply with the Treaty
OF Versailles, was not complete, Mr..
Lloyd George explained, and if before
Saturday Germany did not put forward
the Supreme Council to decide what ac-
tion should be taken. Undoubtedly this
would conclude the occupation of the
Ruhr.
British Force Uncertain
He could not say whether the British
would send a force until the experts
were consulted.
The German proposal for the recon-
struction of the devastated areas was
satisfactory so far as it went, and, in
the opinion of Mr.. Lloyd George, would
be substantial contribution toward the
problem of reparations France. how
ever. had already applied to Germany
Tor materials to assist in reconstruct
ton, but had received no answer. The
question of labor was more delicate for
france; she had her unemployment
crisis, like other countries.
y, Great Britain, continued the Prime
Minister, did not desire to impose the
impossible on Germany, but was con-
vinced that Germany could pay what
was demanded by the Paris terms, but
there must be definite arran cement
for payment.
The Supreme Council must decide
whether Germany was to be given
further time after May 20 pay the
goo million sterling due under the
parls terms. Also, he declared, a
further advance could not be made into
German territory until all the Allies
were agreed on this matter.
There was complete sympathy with
the French desire to make Germany
comply with the terms agreed to at
Paris, but, added Mr.. Lloyd George.
the ministers must go into the Supreme
Council with free hands as to how the
terms were to be enforced Great
Britain could not understand why Ger
many had put forward note concern
ing reconstruction of the devastated
areas, which was Inadequate without
providing for the balance of the repair
atoms
There was no objection, said the
Premier, to notes being forwarded
through Washington. Indeed. Great
Britain would be glad if America
could be of further assistance. America
took no responsibility in forwarding
notes. In fact, it was possible that
Germany had decided to send the note
through America, owing to President
Harding's assurance that he would for
ward the note to the Allies if it should
be acceptable to them. 1t was q mis-
take, however, for Germany to do so,
Mr.. Lloyd George declared, when she
knew that M. BRAND was at Lympne.
Premiers to Return To-day
The two premiers have few more
points to discuss, but will certainly
conclude their conversations during
the night and return to their respective
capitals in the morning.
Mr.. Lloyd George spent three quar-
ters of an hour with the correspond
ents, answering freely all questions,
but requesting them not to endeavor to
use his remarks within quotations. as
he had not chosen his phrases with
precision and would not have an op-
portunity to revise the language at
tributed to him.
1t is learned from a French source
that M. BRAND requested the British
Prime Minister to return to their sta
tions four battalions of British troops
one in Silesia and three on the Rhine
which were brought back to England
on account of the coal strike. He also