New-York tribune., 1922-12-16


tant statements Poinesre has made
since becoming Premier, assuring the
Chamber as Il does that great hope
stlll exists Of working out some inter.
Allied agreement AZ the January meet
inc. and II such agreement 10 impos-
able neither Britain, Italy nor Belgium
will attempt 70 prevent France from
acting as sheriff In her own behalf.
Pointing 70 the unanimous decision
Of the Allies 20 reject the most recent
German demand for q lonR-teYm rnofs.
toriurn. Poine1re defended himself
against the accusation that the London
meeting had only negative results.
ANot al all" he said. "Ws found
ourselves closely united IN our attitude
toward Germany, and we must con
1ratuIsss ourselves on the complete
loyalty displayed By all the represent
atlves of the Ailies."
He asked the Chamber not u insist
on details, since the sub-eommissiona
OF experts were still meeting, and II
would be bad policy 70 inform Ger
many Of the intentions Of her creditors
q month before the next Allied meet
ing.
Opposes Long Term Relief
Premier PoInesrs repeated his asssr'
tion that the Cuno proposal for morato-
rum as submitted 20 London conference
was in reality Q total modification OF
the economic clauses Of The Versailles
Treaty with q demand for long-term
relief for German payments, neantime
ignoring either Allied control or aee-
quate guarantees. The hrst loan ne
said was designed only to force the
return to Germany Of money. hidden
abroad, which he characterized as the
consolidation of sesndalous profits real
lied By the great industrialists OF the
Reich. The amounts Of these loans he
said wers n0toriously insufficient, and
for these reasons he asked the Allies
20 reject the German note.
Turning to Frances debts 70 the
Allies, the Premier contended that
there was not the slightest comparison
between these war debts and Ger
many's reparations debt
these mutual war debts were con-
tracted for the purchase Of arms, nu-
nitions and food for the Allied armies
hRhtinR fratemally on French soil,
Ne SAID. "These were war expenses
and when the Allies hurriedly con.
traeted them they had the right "a
hope these debts would be chargeablc
20 vanquished Germany"
Qsotes Versailles Treaty
Quoting Articles 131 and 1872 Of thI
Versailles Treaty, he said the Allies
therein had recognized the priority Of
reparations over mutual war debts. II
| would be one Of the most intolerablC
iniquities, ne said, II these inter-Alliet
debts could be claimed before the tota
payment Of German reparAtlons
Voeiferous applause from all quarters
Of the Chamber greeted Che Premier,
assertion that France recognized hei
debts 10 the Allies, but neither in righi
or fact could she pay Their before OBJ
tanning her dues from Germany.
The Premier. having established
the French viewpoint on the Necessary
liaison between debts ana repsrations
proceeded indirectly TO announce that
France was prepared 10 discuss the
whole problem at the second meeting
Of the Allied Premiers, which viii
convene In Paris on January 2. He
reeAled the decision Of the French
Cabinet last July TO consider a sub.
stantial reduction Of the German debt
BY the cancellation Of the &C" bonds
totnling $4,000 100000 gold marks, OF
more tnhn NIO,VVO,VVO,VVOs II Lnlt
amount could be used TO balance the
inter-Allied debts. This, however, She
Premier said, had been baked by Lore
BalfOur's note, which made acceptance
BY England contingent upon accept.
anoe also by the United States.
"This question was not treated n
London last August" Poineare said
but this time q new step has beer
made. But, a. Bonar Law was ab
sorbed In the multiple duties incident
on the installation Of a new ministry
and Lasteyrie and myself were recalled
10 Paris by the budget discussion, tn,
/ question was not regulated. But N,
debste will continue and must develop
iato a definite situation"
Allies TO Stand by France
The Premier then launched on a dis
eussion Of the present status Of Ger
many's unsstisfactory handling Of hei
reparations problem and what would b,
Frances duty in the event an agree
ment between the Allies became i'm
possible. IL was here he disclosed thai
one result Of the London conferene,
was the assurance that, even II Frame,
felt forced TO take solitary actor
against Germany, the entente cordial'
would remain unbroken, meaning tha'
Great Britain would not interfere, anC
in that event Frances action would no.