New-York tribune., 1921-12-21
BRAND Seeks
Angl rencEl
Military Pact
Agrees With Lloyd George
to Give Berlin Tempo.
rary War Bills Respite;
5-Power Farley Sure
By Harold E. Scarborough

from The Tribuae's Enr0penn Bureau
Copyright. 1921. New York Tribune Inc
LONDON, Dec. 20-1n getting a grip
to-day on the reparations problem, Pre-
mlers Lloyd George and BRAND, in
their conversations in Downing Street,
discussed:
Revision of the schedule of Ger
man war bill payments in the next
year or two, but avoiding any sort of
moratorium.
Conclusion of Anglo-French mill
tary standing-which may pos
sibly, but not necessarily, take the
form Of alliance-undcr which Great
Britain would undertake to aid
France in case of an unprovoked at
tack on her.
Summoning in January Of a five
power European conference, to in
clude Russia and Germany, to dis
cuss exchange rates and other eco
nomic problems, as forctold by The
Tribune yesterday.
With no conclusions on these pro-
posals yet in sight it is probable that
the conversations between the two
premiers will continue for several days
Economic Conference Assured
The quintuple economic conference
may now be regarded almost as cer-
tainty, but the proposal to limit the
revision of the schedule of German
reparation payments to the next year
are finding their problems so inter
locked that their discussion of the war
bill payment is still in general terms
Briand opposed anything in the
nature of moratorium and the granting
of long concessions to the Germans
but he said France was willing to
modify the burden Of the payments for
a short period. 1t is understood that
Lloyd George did not maintain that
heavy cuts should be made in the AL
lied demands on Germany. Although
BRAND would like to have England
cancel part of the French war loans
and take German reparation bonds in
stead, he feels that this step would
leave France more or less alone in de-
manding early cash payments from
Germany, and hence he seeks assurance
of British military support if ever it
were needed.
In their four hours of discussion to-
day BRAND elaborated the position
France would have to take at five
power economic conference which Lloyd
George wants to call as soon as posi-
BILE. Until this meeting is decided on
definite steps toward easing the repa-
rations burden on Germany will be held
up.
BRAND Denies Rumors
Several rumors concerning the sup
posed trend of affairs at the premiers
conference were fatty denied tonight
by BRAND He said it was untrue that
Louis Loucheur, French Minister of
Reparations, who came to London with
him, had conferred to-day with Wal
ther Rathenau of the Berlin Cabinet
when Loucheur called at the Office of
Sir Robert S. Horne, British Chance-
lor of the Exchequer. BRAND said it
was untrue that he had favored the
to France to help in reconstruction
work in the devastated area. He also
denied that any foundation existed for
the report, widely circulated, that Great
Britain, France and Germany were
about to arrive at tripartite agree
ment.
In connection with the French Pre-
mier's denial that Loucheur saw Rath-
enau, it is a fact, nevertheless, that
Rathenau is in London at the express
invitation of the Lloyd George govern
ment and that he saw Horne to-day.
French circles are responsible for the
assertion that the premiers discussed a
military understanding, but it is nota-
Bile that British sources are quiet on
the subject until they know what comes
out of the Washington armament limi-
tation conference.
The French version of the alliance
considerations is that Lloyd George
yesterday called on the British War
(Centlnued on nsxt pass)