The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-08-25
Allied Delegates Are Preparing
to Leave Berlin Today.
New Proposals Made by Ger
many Considered UnimpOrtant.
WIRTH NOW FACES CRISIS
Cabinet Was in Session During
Greater Part of Night.
May Be Forced to Abandon
Policy and Take Consequences.
(By The Associated PressJ

NDy 4ne ASsOCAdttd LNtoH-I
Paris, Aug. 25.-The negotiations in
Berlin between reparations mission
and German government Officials
came to an end at noon today without
having produced any compromise on
the German reparations question ac-
ceptable to both the British and
French representatives. according to
advices reaching French official cir
cles this afternoon. Sir John Brad
bury and Eugene Mauclere. British
and French representatives respective
ly of the reparations committee were
expected to leave Berlin this after
noon, arriving in Paris tomorrow.
The French foreign office learned un-
officially this morning that new pro-
posals were submitted at the forenoon
session by Germans, but they were
not considered important enough to
warrant the missions remaining in
Berlin longer.
1t IS now believed the reparations
commission will hold a special meet
ing Monday or Tuesday at which 1t
will try finally to dispose of the ques-
tion of granting a moratorium to Ger
many.
England for Postponement.
If the last minute guarantees Of
fered by the Germans prove to be as
unsat tisfactory as previous proposals
the British are expected to try to
postpone action by the commission in
order to delay the carrying out OF
penalties independently by France
with hope that some way out of the
difficulty may be found.
There was much speculation today
as to what form the French penalties,
if carried out. will take. Nothing has
been indicated officially but all re-
ports from Germany seem to agree
that the first move would be occupa-
tion of the Ruhr section.
Grave Crisis seen.
3 mi
government today was confronted
! with the gravest crisis since it took
office as q result of the indemnity
snarl. 1t was learned that decisions
of the gravest Importance are inn
pending
I Germany offered to place 5O,0OO, 900
gold marks at the disposal of the in
ter-aliied reparations commission as a
guarantee to pledge coal and timber
deliveries. but M Mauclere. chairman
of the guarantees committee, reject
ed it.
The cabinet was in session thruout
the greater part of the night. Subse-
quently: A. B. Houghton, American
Ambassador, called upon Chancellor
wirth. The chancellor made no ef-
fort to hide the seriousness OF Ger
many's position and admitted that
catastrophe confronts the nation. The
chancellor said he feared that Il would
be too late to do any good even IL a
five months moratorium were granted
right now.
Later on. Hugo SHINES. the Indus
trial magnate. called upon Chancellor
Wirth.
May Abandon Payment Policy.
Belief was expressed that the only
thing that can save the present cabl-
net from humiliation and resignation
is a fiat declaration to the world that
Germany has abandoned the policy
of fulfillment'-that is the policy sf
meeting the allied demands on in
demnity. Such a declaration, II was
pointed out, would give the Wirth
ministry n united political front re-
gardless of all consequences.
Chancellor Wirth was guest last
night at a dinner given by American
Ambassa dor Hoghton to the visiting
American congressional delegation
which is leaving for Vienna to attend
tho interparliamentary union confer
ence. Senator Spencer of Missouri
proposed a toast to the chancellor.
The congressman later discussed the
German situation with Doctor Wirth.
The plunge of the value of the Ger
man mark downward 600 points in n
single day, constituted a death blow
to German industry. MaLy factories
will be forced to close down within the
next fortnight. throwing hundreds OF
thousands of workmen out OF employ
ment. Already there is much misery
among working classes.
Twenty German marks of the nor
NAL value SIS. can now be bought for
one American penny.
The panic on the exchange market
has exceeded anything that ever went
before. The rise in the price Of all
commodities is keeping pace with tha
result in value of the dollar. Butter,
meat and sugar have increased 30 per
cent In price in forty-eight hours.
Crowds are beleaguering the food
stores. It has become necessary TO re-
strict the hours of sales.
The entire press has adopted q most
gloomy and pessimtstic tone. Ger
many seems doomed to chaos" said
the Lokal Anzeiger today.