New Britain herald., 1923-08-22
France Has No Idea Of
Abandoning Debts But
Insists She Will Also
Collect From Late En-
emies.
Asks if English Would Treat
Ally Worse Than She
Planned to Treat Foe.

BY The Associated Press
Paris. Aug. 22.--Germany can OBJ
tain evacuation of the Ruhr only by
paying reparations she can assure at
tentuation Of the rigors of the occupa-
tion by ceasing passive resistance and
she can win no reduction in the
amount she owes France unless the al
lied creditors of France see fit to give
France credit for equal amounts on
her war debts.
These are the conclusions of Prem
ier Poincare's reply to Marquis Cur
IONS reparations note of recent date.
The French government also express
es its belief that the allies can agree
on methods of bringing about the exc
cution of the treaty by continuing
courteous negotiations,
As for the inter-allies war debts,
|, France holds that a settlement of this
question should wait upon final pay
ment by Germany of 50,00o.000,000
gold marks in reparations comprised
in the A and bonds.
The British proposals for a re-esti-
mate of Germany's capacity for pay
ment, and Lord Curzon's suggestion
that the question ofthe legality of the
occupation of the Ruhr be referred to
The Hague, are rejected and the
French position is re-affirmed as re-
naming unchanged,
Official opinion of the reply as set
forth in the English summary given
out this morning at the foreign Office
is that the note contains the elements
of a practical solution of the repara-
tions problem but a careful reading.
of the communication shows that In
the opinion of M. Poincare the only,
practical solution is for Great Britain
to accept the French thesis in every
detail. ~
Operation Legal
The reply, made public at the for
eign office today maintains that the
French operation in the Ruhr is alb
solutely legal 1t offers to consider
the easiest method of exacting pay
ment from Germany when resistance
has ceased and expresses a willing
ness to continue the recent discussions
with Great Britain.
The French position remains un-4
changed, according to the official sum-
mary of the reply issued in English
at the foreign office prior to publica-
ton of the complete text.
Premier Poincare in the reply
stresses the priority of reparations
over other war costs as represented by
the inter-allied debts.
France never repudiated the debts
she contracted during the war, either
to England or to America in the in
terest of the common victory" the
note asserts. .--.
France is also the creditor of the
other allies for five or six billion gold
marks the summary continues but
there can be no doubt but that in
the minds of those who drafted the
treaty, damages to persons and prop
erty were to be granted priority over
war costs" Therefore asks the note,
is it to be supposed that such war
costs, which the allies agreed should
rank after reparations, after pensions
and after the damages stipulated In
the treaty and which they do not
claim from Germany, are now to be
claimed by the allies from each other
before Germany has even begun to
pay, us?"
England's Payment
Referring specifically to the British |
demand for the payment of IA LIS bill
lion gold marks, the summary con-
tinues:
I'VE do not suppose that England |
intends to claim the sums owing her |
by the allies before reparations are |
actually settled. She will certainly |
be the first to realize that in order |
to pay what she owes France must |
previously have recovered her contri-
butive power, have repaired her griev-
Gus losses and must be in position to
meet German competition>with equal
weapons.
ut is, no doubt to England's inter-
est that Germany shall recover. 1t
certainly cannot be to her interest that
France should be diminished"
The summary begins by describing
the note as "a general and sympathe-
tic statement of the position taken by
France" containing the elements of
a practical solution"
The synopsis asserts that France
never dreamed of pursuing a selfish
policy IN the questlon OF TepaTduons- II
a question that cannot be solved with
out due regard to the whole Euro
pean interests involved" Further
more. she always took into consider
alton Great Britain's lamentable and
persistent unemployment.
Germany Deprecated Own Currency.
The occupation of the Ruhr was
made obligatory in Premier Poincare's
opinion by what he calls the deliber-
ate debasement of Germany's finances
with the avowed intention of escap-
ng payment of reparations. II
Until the end of 1922" the reply 10
Great Britain explains. Germany had
not ceased TO sggravate her financial
situation. She did nothing to balance
ler budget. She maintained railroad
l.