The New York herald., 1921-02-05
BERLIN SEES HAND
OF GEDDES URGING
QUICK AGREEMENT
Sought ReparatiOn Settle
ment Before Harding Took
Office, Official View of
Allies Action.
TO FIGHT FOR TIME
Germany Hopes for Inter-
ference From America
That Will Lessen Sever
ity Of Programme.
LONG FOR A BIG STICK
Leaders Dread Another Debate
in United States Senate
Over the Versailles.
Treaty.
LONG FOR A big STICK
BY RAYMOND SWING.

Special Gable to THE New York HERALD.
Copyright, 1921. By THE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Berlin, Feb. 4.
The man who indirectly most in
fIuenced the Paris reparations con-
ference of the allied Premiers was Sir
Auckland Geddes, British Ambassa-
dor to the United States, according to
a report in official circles In Berlin.
Sir Auckland. 1t is believed here, took
TO Paris with him information from
Washington which made both Eng
land and France feel the urgency for
uniting to have large reparation pay
ments agreed to before the Harding
Administration was installed in WASH
ington.
1t is believed here that a race is
going on between the Allies and the
calendar, and that the Germans with
this in mind will do all in their power
to gain time.
Meanwhile in Government and busi-
ness circles here three questions are
being asked with great seriousness,
are emphasized more perhaps than
any others. They are:
How long will 1t be after Mr.. Har-
dings inauguration as President of
the United States before peace be-
tween America and Germany is de-
clared?
How long viii II be before the sue
cessor to President Wilson takes a
decisive step in the arena of European
affairs?
Do American leaders deem the pros
perity of central Europe essential
enough to American prosperity to war
rant interference by the United States
in the Allies reparations programme?
German Hopes Lie Here.
These questions have not been publicly
discussed here. for in the columns of all
the German press most of the comment
is In the form OF complaints. and there
In little attempt to analyze what the next
two months will have In store for Ger
many. But the eyes of responsible Ger
man leaders are on America.
If American business men want CEN.
trail Europe as customer IL the United
StataS Senate adopts the Knox peace
resolution. II Mr.. Harding resuscitates
the Roosevelt big stick" and all this
comes to pass quickly. the prospect for
next March Is not so tragic to the Ger
mans, but II the Senate must debate the
Versailles treaty through again. or If
Mr.. Harding watchfully waits. German
leaders anticipate bad time.
There are only two Powers in the
world. the United States and England.
its was pointed out here. strong enough
to change the Paris reparations settle
ment. Labor is regarded as not being
in q position to play decisive part,
and even II II were inclined to injure
the Allies reparations programme its
strength lies only with the English Gov
ernment
No Hope I'm English Labor.
"In England. however. 1t Is our mis-
fortune that there are a million unem-
ployed, and, therefore this is a poor
time to appeal to the egoism Of the
English workers." an important German
official here said to-day. 1T is a good
lesson to us. who were often tempted to
say that IL we should go down the rest
would go down. too III I have disease,
Il will not help me for others to get IT,
need healthy men around me to get
weT."
But the belief in American business
as factor favorable to Germany is
held to be supported by the rise in the
value of the mark. rise that Is ascribed
by leading German hnanciers not to idle
speculation In New York. but to the
natural change In the American policy
which is bound to come. But now this
advancing tendency on the part of the
mark Is interrupted by the Paris repara-
tions decision.
The rise In the mark bespoke the
crening OF the doors OF Central Europe
TO American raw materials" says a
writer I'm the Continental zeituH1, but
u Is not 10 be assumed that America
viii continue to satisfy the British by
removing a competitor II 1t crosses the
American plans The divergence be-
tween American and British interests
la German Industries iH certain TO come
sharply into the foreground, especially
when the reparations total is fixed in
London"