New-York tribune., 1921-12-17
BY Joseph .Shaplen
By wireless TO The Tribune

Copyright 1921. New York Tribune Inc.
BERLIN, Dec. 16.-What Germany is
seeking in the bankruptcy note to the
Allied Reparations Commi ssion, Chan
cellor Wirth to-day told the main COM
mittee Of the Reichstag, is not merely
an extension of time on payments due
IN January and February, but thor
oughgoing revision OF the whole repa-
rations problem. 1t is believed here
that the note was sent on suggestions
coming from British sources with
which the German financial envoys,
Hugo SHINES and Walther Rathenau,
were in contact in London last week
Wrth's note itself, which was pub
lished here only this morning, twelve
hours after its publication in Paris
and London, is regarded in Berlin as
Germany's declaration of bankruptcy.
This IS confirmed by that passage of
the note referring to the refusal Of th e
British financiers to grant Germany any
sort Of credit 50 long as her interna-
tional obligations remain unmoditied
Surprise for Public
While the dispatch of the note had
been expected for the last two days in
parliamentary circles it proved to be
rather surprise to the public zen
orally which had been under the i'm
pression that the moratorium credit
negotiation had been more successful
than the note Indicated.
In Reichstag circles it is felt that
The decision to send the note was not
reached in the Chancellor's pa ace, but
in London in conversations that Dr.
Rathenau had with British leaders and
tinanciers. While the conservative
press to-day assals the note as evi-
dence of the failure of Wirth's policy
of trying TO meet the condition of a
London ultimatum, the coalition press
asserts 1t was precisely this policy
which made possible Wirth's move.
If not for the record achieved by
Wirth abroad, the coalition press de-
clares, it would not have been pos
sible for him to approach the Allies
with such d proposal, which a few
months ago would have been met by
France with the occupation of the
Ruhr.
In discussing his move before the
Reparations Commission and before
the Reichstag committee to-day, Wirtn
demanded that the Reichstag as we'll as
departments of the government make
earnest efforts to balance the budget
IN order to convince the outside world
that Germany Is sincerely trying to
achieve this very essential prerequis-
lte to her obtaining foreign credits
and at the same time destroy an i'm
preston abroad that Germany is de-
liberately riding into bankruptcy
Seeks Vote of Confidence
In conclusion, Wirth announced his
intention to appear soon before the
Reichstag to demand vote OF conf
dence. In some Socialist and indie
pendent Socialist circles it is feared
that Wirth will be forced to retire
should he fail TO obtain an extension
on the forthc coming payments, in which
case it is not unlikely that a purely
Socialist government, consisting Of the
majority and Independents, will be
formed
On the other hand, should Wirth
succeed he viii remain head of a gov
ernment which will be organized on a
broader coalition basis by the admis-
sion of the Peoples party as a repre-
sentative of heavy industry
These developments one way or an
other now depend on the Forthcoming
meeting of Premier BRAND and Lloyd
George in London Monday, 10 which
Germany is looking forward with
the greatest anxiety. SO far as the
German financial world is concerned
its reaction toward Wirth's latest move
to-day was a further lowering of the
mark.