The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-12-13
BRITAIN AND
FRANCE ABOUT
TO BREAK
Difference Of Opinion
as to German Repa-
rations Has Reach
ed the Point Where
Split Seems IneVi-
table

table
London, Dec. 1o.-The posslbil-
ify of the four nEen1iers reaching
an agreement which will enable
the Brussels conference to as
senable with any prospect of sue
cess seems tonight to hang on an
extreme tenuous thread. AS with
all previous attempts to solve the
reparations problem. the main diff
ficultys lies in French determina-
ton to secnre penalties or guar
antees of a military character for
the fulfillment OF German ob|iga-
items.
The new British government is
considered more favorable toward
France than the previous admin
sistraticn, but AIR. Bonar Law, in the
present conference. has shown
himself to be as warmly opposed
to any occupation of the Ruhr as
was his predecessor, while the
Italian premier, Signer Mussolini.
still an unknown influence in Eu-
ropean conferences. also opposed
ANYTHING except. what he terms
economic and productive guaran-
tees.
Premier Poincare asserted today
that France would -denanad the oc-
scupatioa of the sRuhr as a, funda-
mental guarantee for any morator-
iuIn and the stiffening of the
French premier''s attitude changed
the hopeful. view Of the French
delegation to one Of gloom. NJ
Poincare reasserted. his demand for
the Ruhr after receipt OF adsices
from Paris that his attitude in Lon
don had been iterpreted in the
Chamber of Deputies and a portion
of the press as weakening in the
face of Mr.. Bonar Law.
NJ. Poincare went to the pre-.
miers' meeting today in a deter.
mined mood and informed the 9th.
ers that France fatty rejected
Chancellor Cuno'sf new proposals
Mr. Bonar Law. on the other hand
told NJ. Poincare he thought the
German proposals were at least
worth discussing at greater length
but NJ. Poincare insisted they were
vague and We're intended as q ma
neuver to forestall action by the
allies rather than a serious pro:
posal for settlement. adding that
Germany had made a similar
move at nearly all previous allied
meetings dealing with reparation.
The chances of settlement
w'sre anything but bright tonight
since the, British prime minister
with emphasis, equal to that of the
French premier. said that the oc-
+ cupation of tn. Ruhr and Saar. the
exploitation of the Rhineland
would be penalties and mot eco.
nomic guarantees as the latter
contended. England could no
consent to the imposition of such
penalties, and Mr.. Bonar Law urg-
ed that some other way must be
found toward allied unity.
Belgium in the meantime has
again assumed the role of media
tor. having in mind her success
OF. last August in preventing az
! allied break over reparations. Pre-.
| mier Theunis and Foreign Minister
Jasper spent most Of the day with
their experts trying to discover
new economic guarantees which
might obviate the occupation OF
!! the Ruflr or the taking over of the
administration of the Rhineland
The Beigians think this could be
arranged by plan of participa-
ton in German industry with 2
provision permitting the Germans
eventually to get back that part
taken over by the allies.
German mines would be rented
at a low. amount and exploited for
lreparations purposes.
It became Increasingly clear to-
night that France is alone in her
demands for radical guarantees
Mussolini favors guarantees of a
much nilder character. while
Belgium oppo,es any guarantees OF
q military nature. 8elgium~ how
ever, is in a peculiar position. Her
finances and economic advisers are
all against the French program,
but the government is committed
to assist France. if she invades the
| Ruhr.
There is already talk of calling
another conference before the
Prussels conference. il called al
all. will not be held until early
| next year.
N. Pojpcare tonight made
known his views in detail on the
German proposals, which he term,
ed "treacherous.' 1t is reported
that Kart Bergman. the German