New-York tribune., 1922-06-01
British Premier
Lays Indemnity
Friction to L. s.
Says Lack of Balance in
Working of Treaty and
League Is Due to the
Absence Of America

LONDON, May ~ (By The Asso-
ciated Press With Germany unde-
hant, Premier Lloyd George had
planned 10 make n brief statement on
reparations in the House OF Con mons
this afternoon. but when John Robert
Clynes, Labor member opened the de-
bate ard attributed the nrcsent tifi
culties 70 the governments election
pledges OF 1918 the Prime Minister
launched into lengthy defense Of the
Reparation Commission and the Treaty
Of Yersaillos
Whatever lack o. balance was eyi-
dent in the working Of tho treaty and
likewise the workings OF the League o.
Nations. he asserted. was due 10 the
absence OF the United States, which,
having no claims with respect 20 rep
arations, was friendly 10 France, Italy,
Great Britain and Germany, and was
concerned In seeing that reparations
were not driven 10 extremes, 20 upset
the balance Of world trade.
Praises German Attitude
LLOYD George praised tho German
attitude toward the Reparation Com
mission and indicated that so long as
she was not defiant Germany could
count on Britsin's sympathy and un-
derstandng OF the difficulties inyolyed
in meeting the treaty conditions. He
declared, however, that there was no
cause for disagreement between France
and England, FOR should Germany re-
fuse 10 attempt TO fulhll the commits
.lons proposals Great Britain's place
would be at the side OF the Versailles
signatories, despite the misrepresenta-
tions which we're being made.
Great Britain believed In the ira
ditlonal policy OF moderation and full
sllment. continued the Prime Minister,
and ne gave warning that isolated
action on the part Of any one OF tne
Allies would be disastrous 70 the
entente among them.
at is the policy pursued after
Waterloo toward France, when Prussia
and Russia and the other yietors urged
tha, France be trampled,' said LLOYD
George. THE government IN that Sy
refused 10 eountenance such a policy
We are pursuing the same course. bet
II Germany Is defiant, II she should
say this treaty we decline 10 carry
out Il would be different A German
policy Of non-fulhllment would be a
policy OF immediate disaster
at is not question Of France acting
alone II there is defiance Of the YER
sailes treaty We are signatories 10
the treaty. which the House Of Com
mons ratified. We are committed 10
il. In spite Of all Misrepresentation
we still stand for the policy OF modefa-
tion and fulfllment"
Discusses American Attitude
"No doubt the absence Of America
from the machinery Of the Treaty OF
Ve.sailles." said Lloyd George. has
disturbed ts-equipoise, has made the
machine less effective and made Il work
with less precision. | will not say t
has made the machine work with more
Injustice, but IL has created friction
which would not have existed v Amer
lea had been present either m the
league or on the reparation commits
sion. For the moment all I will ray Is
that there is no cause for disagree
ment between France and England. All
the reports Of the reparation tribunal
indicate that an arrangement will be
arrived at which will be acceptable 20
the debtor country as well as 10 the
creditors
Discussing the question OF war debts
the Prime Minister said IL was impossi-
Bile 10 contemplate the proposal that
Great Britain should forego all her
claims against the Allies without any
remission Of what Great Britain owed.
"If the German reparations be add
ed" he said, "the debt due 20 this coun-
try is f3 900 100000, while we owe
about 81 900 900 900. Is the proposal
that we should forego the whole sum
without the remission Of what we owe ?
We are perfectly willing 20 enter into
any international discussion with a
view 20 obliterating the whole Of the
war debts provided we receive benefit
equakto that which we are prepared 20
confer We have an interest be, ond
that Of creditor. We have an interest
Of a great international trader"