Evening star., 1922-12-24
Andre Tardieu Declares Gle.
menceau Sought Only Psy-
Geological Effect.
POLITICS HAD NO PART
French Statesman Also Says Eu.
ropean Reconstruction Plan Must
Precede u. S. Plan.
BY ANDRE TARDIEU.
Former French High Commissioner r
to the United states.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
PARIS. December a4.--"I went to
Havre to greet Clemenceau and re-
turned to Paris to find the press full
of vague solutions which the United
States is supposed to plan concerning
reparations This coincidence affords
an opportunity to make clear certain
distinctions which can't help being
useful.
clemenceau did not go to America
with political object. much less
financial. in view. The object was psy-
Geological and moral. He thought
Americans needed to know the French
viewpoint better and that he could
tell them something on that subject.
He went and talked. as he does every
thing. frankly and squarely. He OBJ
tanned the results sought for-Ameri-
cans found it worth while listening
Ia him, just as he found it worth
while to talk to them.
Iias.rG a clear. definite plan, he
n.vci fcr a moment departed from it.
He asked nothing and proposed moth
ing resembling a positive solution.
which r. solely an affair for the gov
ernments themselves. He wanted to
prepare the ground for subsequent
conversations. Whether tares or wheat
is sown in this ground by others does
not depend on him. His task is fin
iShed.
Only Aids German.
7 emphasize this because there have
heen attempts to establish relation
ship between Clemenceau's trip and
the politico- o-financial projects with
which the press of both continents
how is full. Such a relationship does
not exist.
Having stated Clemenceau's purpose.
! will now pass to quite a different
subject. namely. this matter which
the papers call the American plan.
This plan was first presented to the
public as official. but the mistake was
quickly corrected. Next. 1t was at
tributed to eminent financial person
ages. but Norgan's prompt denial dis
posed of that, so today the plan is
indefinite.
Though first announced as a method
for European reconstruction. IL is
really only method to help Germany
We in France do not see any objec-
ton to aiding Germany IL we thought
she could or would be helped. but her
policy of the last three years has been
one or always choosing the worst. and
nothing indicates a change of heart
Moreover hope this will not be
called lmperialism-if aid is to be
given Germany we would like the
conditions to be such that our just
reparations will not be excluded. The
rlan which has caused such a great
sensation does not fulfill either of
these conditions.
Must Provide Payments,
II you in the United States think
that some day you can do somethinc
Tor the financial peace OF Europe
with which political peace is SO close
~ bound. We ask you to remember
mat there is no peace without JUS
tice and any restoration of Europe
vader would be the worst of injus-
'ces. 1t is highly desirable to put
Germany in order, but dangerous to
do so without subordfnating this to
the execution Of the engagements
solemnly contracted by Germany and
which is based not only on treaties
but on equity. The suggested plan
does not recognize this necessity.
Such competent judge as J. p.
Morgan declares that d loan to Ger
many is unthinkable SO long as Eu-
rope does not solve the reparations
problem. / myself have written this
a thousand times and now restate:
Nobody pretends final absolute per-
feet solution is possible without the
United States. for when the solution
liIldIN is dETetu the Suttcu
states will be needed to act as bank
.r and to mobilize the needed ele-
inents. This point has not been
reached nor is anything like it evil
dent in the present state of disor-
gauization and ]. myself. do not see
what the United States could pos
sibly do.
Need European Plan.
Before appealing to the United
states the European powers must
know on what basis they are in
aErecrnent In other words. before
&et can accept any American plan We
must have a European plan. The lat
ter. of course, is insufficient without
the former. but is necessary as a
basis.
What will the conference of January
give us in this direction Nobody
Knows and l fear Bonar Law and
i'oincare are not better informed than
the others. The conversations will be
resumed where they broke off on De-
cember -. Will they understand one
another better in 1923 than in 1922:
IShope So, but it does not seem that
uurh Imagination has been used on
either side in that direction After
So many Observation-Disclosures they
might realize the Importance OF the
.r,rtente But will they: Let's hope
the new year will bring pleasant sur
Copyright, 1927