The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-08-15
FRENCH EXPLAIN
THEIR ATTITUDE
ON PREPARATIONS
Concensus of Press Comment Is
That Europe Has Failed To
Rise To Opportunity

Paris, Aug. 15.-(By The Associated
Press. 1.-The French delegation to
the Allied conference in London in Il
statement to the Havas agency defines
it's position at the breakup of the
meeting; affirms that the French
showed patience and moderation thru
ouy and declares that Germany is
persevering in policy calculated to
make Europe believe she is in state
OF bankruptcy.
Germany's plan, according to the
statement, is the sytemactic deprecia-
tion OF her currency.
She was certain to ruin her own
credit in the operation it was said,
but counted on the Allies being forced
to favor an international loan and thus
restore her credit. She hoped that
the first credit operation for her
would be made possible without coer
cion or pledges and if the operation
produced 10000, 100000 marks for re
parations she would consider she had
paid enough.
Her situation then would be better
than the victorious allies as she would
then have, a smaller foreign debt and
her industries would be in full ac-
tivity.
True she was to assume in Europe
and the world, at the expense of the
allies the economic hegemony wrested
from her by the four years of war
The French delegation wished to OPP
pose an equitable and rational pro
gram to this German scheme.
TTI. .,, Il tI,.N
progress of the London conference and
declares the French delegation was
obliged to reject the last proposal
to grant brief moratorium because
France would be put in a the position
of receiving request for payment from
her creditors while totally without re-
sources against her former enemy
debtors.
Under the circumstances" il
adds, m. Poincare refused to asso
ciate himself with any decision OF
the conference, even referring the pre-
blem to the reparations commission
and announced the French govern
ment would deliberate on the sub
ject and in any case would reserve
it's freedom of action.
A Lost Opportunity.
London, Aug. 15.-(By The Associaf
ed Press .)-Europe was unable to
rise to what might have been IA great
opportunity to put her feet on the
road to recovery. This is the con
census of the press comment regard
ing the failure of the London confer
ence, but as sto who was responsible
for the failure depends upon whether
one accepts the French or the British
viewpoint.
The pro-government editorials eX-
press the hope that France Will take
counsel of reason and sobriety and
not continue to act against her own
best interests while those of the op-
position say the British people vii!
not allow any administration to quar-
rel with their friend and ally for the
benefit and support of the Germans
May Summon Assembly
Paris, Aug. 15.-(By the Associated
Press. premier Poincare, at tomor-
rows cabinet meeting. will propose
the summoning of a special session
of parliament, probably to begin next
week, according to the morning news
papers. The cabinet at the same meet
| ing, it is said, will settle the general
lines of the program to be submitted
to parliament concerning the prepara-
tions.
French Delegates Leave
London, Aug. 15.-(By the Associat-
ed Press. 1.-THE delegates to the un-
successful Allied conference on Ger
man reparations left London today.
All were in good spirits except Pre-
mier Poincare who was pale and un-
smiling and who refused even to posi-
for photograph.
Before going to the station the
French premier. accompanied by his
staff, visited the grave of the un-
known soldier on which he placed a
wreath of flowers, bound with the
French tri-color.
Italian Foreign Minister Schanzer
took occasion before the adjournment
of the conference yesterday to make
known a decision aB to the import
ance with which the Italian govern
ment looked upon the question Of the
allied debt. He said the debt would
never be paid, confidence reborn in
her people and commerce restored to
normal until the question of Allied
debts was settled.