The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1922-12-20
PROPOSES BOARD
ON PREPARATIONS
To FIX FIGURES
Germany Advances Plan 10 United
States and Allies: France Turns
Down offer, Direct Paris
Reports Declare.
INDICATIVE DIFFICULT
TASK CUT OUT FOR u. S.
Would Have Financial and Economic
Experts Go over Situation and
Reach Agreement on Sum
Germany Able 10 Pay.
by A. l.. BRADFORD.

Washington. Dec. 20. Germany
has proposed TO the United States
and the allies tho appointment OF
an expert commission to fix just
reparations figure within her ca
Daciiy to pay. the United Press
learned today.
France. through Premier Polncare,
has just summarily rejected the Ger.
man proposal, according to iniorma'
ticn reaching highly authoritative
quarters here direct from Paris.
I Thess important international de.
velcpnents are clearly indicative VI
the difficult task confronting this
government in It's efforts to find a
practical way 10 solve the critical
/ European situation and In some
measure explain why the United
States Is shrouding its moves with
secrecy and acting with extreme
caution.
Following is complete outline Of
the German proposal which has been
communicated to Secretary of State
Hughes by Ambassador Wiedfeldt,
the German envoy here and to the
capitals of the principal allied
powers:
1-Germany suggests commits
sion of financial and economic ex-
perts TO study and determine a Just
reparations sum for the war which
is within Germanys capacity to pay
The present reparations figure is
more than 100000, 100000 in Ameri-
can money.
2-Germany would prefer that this
commission b. made up entirely OF
appointees by the United States.
which would constitute American
mediation. but understands that the
allied powers concerned with tho
repararions problem would ~ agree
to this. She. therefore. proposes
that the Commission re participated
l.. by the Cu cj Stllos and Tie
.al'ias.
3. Germany is prepared to offer
every facility to this commission in
arriving at its decision as to what
Germany should and could pay,
throwing open the books dealing
with the administration of her in
ternal affairs, and so forth.
4. Germany hesitates to name a
reparations figure now herself that
she is ready to pay, on the ground
that France and the other allies
would find it unacceptable.
5. Germany feels that if the allied
armies Of occupation were with
drawn from her territory she could
pay double the amount of repara-
tions she otherwise could meet, or
at least a much larger sum.
6. Germany would undertake to
give categorical answer-"yes' or
"no'-as to whether she would ac-
cept and agree to pay the figure
that the expert commission decid
ed on.
Information here is that Premier
Poincare, in rejecting the proposal,
takes the attitude that France in
sists upon the London ultimatum,
which requires that Germany pay
132,000,000,000 gold marks, or more
than 100000, 100000. This sum is
generally regarded in the United
States as impossible.
Poincare is said to have declared
that II a moratorium is necessary
for Germany after Jan. 15 when the
next reparatiOns payments are due,
France will exact sanctions or guar
antees from Germany to insure her
interests in the reparations pay
ments. He does not take kindly to
the prOI,Osal for commission of eX-
perts, especially, it is said, if such
conference is to be held in Wash
ington.
The present revelation by the
United Press of this German pro-
posal has excited the greatest inter-
est in Washington, especially since
the plan was undoubtedly and pri-
marily an appeal to the United
States.