Evening star., 1922-03-12
ALLIES DISREGARD
us. IN DIVISION Of
BILLION IN MARKS
Hold America, Not a Party to
Versailles Treaty, Must
Negotiate Alone.
DEMAND is, RECOGNIZED
UNDER SPECIAL CLAUSE
U. S. Right Is Reserved and Cues
tion Left to Diplomacy
to Settle.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PARIS, March II. The allied
finance ministers signed an agree
ment this afternoon for the distribu-
1ion of the first billion gold marks
of German reparations. The agree
snent disregards the American claim
of priority for it's expenses in con-
1lection with occupa alton of the Rhine
land, SO far as the actual sharing OF
this money is concerned, but recog-
nizes the claim by a special clause
which states that all the agreements
on this question are subject to the
American rights as the various gov
ernments may establish them, the
finance ministers considering that
they do not have power to decide this
question.
Acted Under Versailles Pact.
The ministers decided, after long
discussion, that the question was not
for the reparations commission to de-
eide, because that body was acting
solely under the provisions of the
treaty of Versailles. to which the
United States no longer was a party.
Consequently it was decided that the
question was one for the various gov
ernmentS concerned to settle.
The finance ministers also con-
cluded that it was impossible for
them in any case to reopen the long
and difficult deliberations which re-
suited in the present agreement. SO
they could only reserve the Ameri-
can right and leave the question for
diplomacy to settle.
Divides Army Expenses.
The agreement provides that the
expenses of the armies of occupation
after May 1, 1921. shall be divided
as follows: One hundred and two mil
lion Belgian francs to Belgium f5,-
100000 to Great Britain4-aRd 46Q. .000,-
900 French francs to France. The
distribution of deliveries in kind by
Germany in 1922 will be on the basis
of 65 per cent to France and 35 per-
cent to the other allies. The Wies-
baden agreement will continue in
force for three years, with the res
ervation that payments will not ex-
ceed 350,000.000 gold marks worth of
material in 1922. 750,000,000 in 1923
end $50, 900. 900 in 1924. other powers
besides France under the agreement
are permitted to conclude arrange
ments with Germany similar to the
wiesbaden agreement. provided such
agreements do not call for deliveries
fixed by the present agreement.
Unexpected, say Papers.
None of the powers, the agreement
provides. will be compelled to turn
back any cash as a result of deliv-
cries in kind received in 1922.
The first billion marks paid cash
are to be distributed as follows:
Qeaving out of account the American
claim: Five hundred million gold marks
TO Great Britain. as partial reimburse
ment for the expenses of her armies
of occupation, up to May !, 1921;
140,000,000 gold marks to France, for
the same purpose. and the remainder
10 Belgium, with the exception of
172.00o,000 lire allotted to Italy.
The American demand for the pay
sment of $241,000,000 before any Ger
man reparations are paid was treated
by the Paris afternoon newspapers.
as by the morning editions. as a bill
which the allies had not expected.
In Response to Opinion.
The semi official Temps says the
United States is certainly entitled to
reimbursement, but she should COL
1ect from Germany, inasmuch as she
did not sign the treaty Of Versailles
and subsequent agreement, and made
a separate treaty with Germany. The
Temps says that the United States
would have demanded payment in
May, 1921, II she had believed the
allies should pay. How could one
suppose" 1t says, "that they would
invoke nova pretended right whose
inanity 10 proved by their silence?'
jacques Bainvi1le,. writing in La
Iiberte, says the demand was made
In response to American public
opinion. He adds that American
opinion 'calls for European disarma-
snent" 'Mr. Boyden's demand was
intended to mako the allies realize
that their military expenses are un-
productive and harmful and that
they absorb all reparations." He
warns the French that.the American
nots r,ust he taken seriously,