Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-04-30
! HUNS HAVE CHANCE
To MODIFY OFFER
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Ieased Wire Service to The Journal)
DOWNRIGHT 1921


WASHINGTON, April 2S.-Ger-
many still has an opportunity to
modify her PREPARATION proposals and
make them satisfactory to the allies,
and thus prevent occupation of the
Ruhr.
Although the United States gov
eminent is not taking the initiative
or adopting any course that might
be construed as an effort to per-
suade Germany to change her pro-
posals, nevertheless the cables and
radio have conveyed to Berlin with
newspaper dispatches and official ut
terances from Paris and London
especially, to let the Germans know
their offer is unacceptable.
The difference between the allies
and Germany does not center on
terms and method of collection. Al
error in the cabled text has been
discovered which puts a different
light on at least one important para
graph of the German proposal, that
which relates to "unreproductive out
LAYS" The first version made 1t
appear that the German government
wanted to be rid of these OUTLAWS
which are interpreted to mean the
funds spent in sustaining, the allied
armies of occupation, but the Ger
man governments official statement
that German business must be rid
of ''unreproductive OUTLAWS" and that
the phrase refers to Instantaneous
trade arrangements.
Most Objectionable Clause
In any event, the most objection
able clause in the German proposal
is that which declares as a condl-
ton of payment that all penalties
or sanctions" must be removed. Inc
Germans declare officially in a sup
Elementary statement, MADE aIter
the Germany proposal was made TO
Washington, that this means only
the penalties imposed by the recent
London conference and does not in
volve in any way the sanctions pro-
vided bv the Versailles treaty.
Should these two important points
be made in an official communicated
to the United States it may be that
when the allies examine the entire
proposition it may fall into the cate
CORY of a "suitable basis for discus
sion later on. For the moment the
French are determined to occupy the
Ruhr and talk about notifications IN
the German proposal afterwards. Inc
French belieYethey will be better
able to force German acceptance
when the French troops are in pos.
session of the valuable resources OF
the Ruhr valley than now, when
French public opinion would be in
diIly-danying on the part of the
BRAND ministry.
The Germans have Appropriated
the sums asked by the allies but, as
indicated by the British counter
questions, everything depends upon
the details of the proposal and not
the general principles or vague prom
ises of the German note.
League of yictors Still Intact
Meanwhile the United States gov
erEmcnt is pursuing wary course,
fascinatin indeed in it's dsingen-
uousness. The American government
doesn't want to close the door to
settlement of the reparation problem
which it realizes means so much to
the economic condition of the whole
world. And the Washington govern
ment. on the other hand, doesn't want
to adopt any course that would en-
courage Germany to believe America
has deserted her associates in the
war. The league of VictorS in the
war still is intact although Germany
sees here and there a wagering upon
which she bases a lingering hope of
division in the allied ranks.
Secretary Hughes has the whole
situation well in hand. President
Harding has so much confidence i'll
him that he went off to Hampton
Roads to review the Atlantic fleet
and gave the secretary of state COM
plete authority to go ahead without
further reference to him. This is
somewhat of a change over the Will
son method.
The custom in the preceding adj
ministration was for the president
to permit no action to be taken on
important matters of foreign policy
without his explicit consent to every
move. however detailed. Mr.. Har-
ding reverses the process and permits
his secretary of state to take the in
ttiatiyeA The last cabinet meeting on