The New York herald., 1922-12-17
French Government Is
to Define Conditions
That 1t Will
Accept.
NO GERMAN LOOPHOLE
Berlin to Be Made Aware
America Wants Justice
to Be Done.
GUARD AGAINST BEvOLTs
Congresses Attitude Regarded
PrOpitious in Project to Put
Europe on Feet.
BY LOUIS sEIBoLD.

BY LOUIS SEIBOLD.
Special Dispatch to THE New York HzHALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington. ID. c.. Dec. l6
Unofficial and in some respects
cryptic comment to-day confirmed
published reports regarding the most
important feature OF the American
plan for settling the reparations dis
pute between France and Germany.
This is the conviction of President
Harding and his advisers that thu
time has arrived for the American
Government to exert the full pres
sure OF its moral and perhaps finan- y
cial influence In putting Germany In
position to pay for the damage in
hicted on France.
The President and executive officials
of this Government obviously believe
that without the help of this country
its European associates in the world
war cannot reconcile their conflicting
viewpoints as to the manner and
terms on which Germany should pay
to the fullest extent Of her economic
resources.
Governments Purposes.
1t is the manifest purpose OF this
Government to determine Cd how far
France will go In slicing her claim for
reparations; (2) how much Germany
can and should be compelled to pay
and on what terms II permitted a
breathing spell to develop her pro-
ductivity to the point where such pay
nents can and should be made.
There is not the slightest tendency
on the part of officials of this Govern
ment to permit any doubt in the Ger
man mind that the sympathes of this
country arc wholly with France There
is justifcati tion for the statement that
IL the good Offices of this Government
result in an agreement on reparations
no amount of evasion on the part OF
Germany will exempt her from COM
plete fulfllment OF her acknowledged
obligations.
The wishes of France will be re-
garded as Of paramount Importance in
any negotiations for a reparations set
tlement In which this country may
take an important II not a leading
part. II is for France to define the
conditions. IL any. on which she will
reduce her bill against Germany and
sanction a loan to enable Germany
promptly to pay up specific amounts
when due.
German Plan Not DivulRed.
The determination of these vitally
important factors in the situation viii
be worked out as the result of negotia- :.
tions which are admitted TO be under
way between this Government on tho
one hand and France and Germany
on the other. Pending these negotia-
tions no direct information regarding
the German plan for the adjustment
of European difficulties will be given
to the public.
The plan as far as developed and
which the officials OF this Government
hope will reflect the sincere desire of
the United States to remove the most
irritating causes for turmoil through
out the world. meets the approval Of
the President and his advisers. It has
been discussed with both the French
and German Governments as the basiJ
for negotiations.
The principles underlying the Ame..-
ican plan are deemed to be wise and
as fully meeting the necessities OF
the case. Until an official reflection
of the German and French viewpoints
has been received and dgested. how
ever. II is admitted in official circles
that IL will be impossible to draft tho
plan in complete form. The most I'm.
portant factor in the equation is tbs
temper with which France approaches
the problem.
France to Have support.
What Germany thinks about Il Is
far less important. She Is not in
position TO dictate the terms OF any
settlement of reparations because IN
the last analysis France would have
the support Of all her Allies In ths
world war, whether the terms stipu-
lated by her we're wholly acceptable
or not
The chief difference In view be-
tween France on the one hand and
Great Britain and this country on
the other relates to the method pro-
posed by France for forcing Germany
to pay up. The British and American
opinion is that tho economic resources
of Germany will not permit the fulfil
ment of the obligations now insisted
on by France. II Is therefore up 10
france TO decide whether she will cut