Evening star., 1923-08-13

government Will be ready to deal as
generously as circumstances permit.
and in the light of their respective
capacity to pay with the debts due
to Great Britain by her allies.
"They cannot, having regard TO
Great Britain's heavy material loss
future tax burdens on its trade, ad,
NIT that other countries are justihed
In claiming that the agreed percen,
tages of reparation payments should
now be further modified or changed
in the order of priority.
Ask Enough to Pay L. S.
But they remain prepared to ask
for no more in respect for the very
large sums due by their allies than
will, together with the reparation
payment by Germany. meet the
British war debt to the United States
government.
Their policy in this matter is
stated in Mr.. Bonar Laws proposal
submitted to the Paris conference in
means that Great Britain would be
prepared to waive in the interest of
a complete general settlement very
large part of the amount for which
the British taxpayer holds the due
obligations of the allied governments.
1T Is the hope of his majesty'S gov
ernment that the above explanations
will convince the French and Belgian
governments of the reasonableness of
the British position and will win their
assent to its acceptance.
They are reluctant to contemplate
the possibility that separate action
may be required in order to hasten a
settlement. which cannot much longer
be delayed without eravest conse
quenceS to a recovery of trade and
the peace of the world"
See Suggestions Unwelcome.
In he h@I l.;
note. which is very long and filled
with argument over various proposals
and points raised in the extended
course of the reparation negotiations.
complains that, notwithstanding the
terms of courtesy employed by France
and Belgium regarding the recent
British suggestions. the reception of
these suggestions by those govern
ments, leave his majesty's govern
ment under the painful impression
that neither are their suggestions
welcome by their allies nor is their
offered cooperation held to merit con-
sideration. except on condition that
no departure be made in any one par
t1cular from whatever France and
Belgium declare to be their over
riding views and decision"
Lord Curzon admits that the Bel
gian reply at first sight appeared to
be the less uncompromisinE. but that
a closer examination showed both
the attitude of Belgium and France,
for all practical purposes. identical.
Hence, he said, the British govern
ment asked leave to deal with both
replies in single answer
Raps French Plan.
Commenting strongly on France
having ignored Great Britain's sug-
gestion of a draft reply to Germany.
Lord CurZon said:
THE omission is hardly compen-
stated for by the series of argumen-
tative passages, inquiries on points
cussions and conversations. holding
out the prospect of an indefinitely
spun-out controversy, while the fun
damental principles were only mem
toned in order to declare that they
did not admit of discussion"
Much of the note is taken up with
arguments against the Franco Bel
gian claims of special priority in
payments, and especially Frances
claim that she ought TO receive 26.-
O00,00o,0o0 marks net, and also have
her debts to Great Britain and the
United States Cancelled. Lord Cur
Zon declares that such a demand is
for an amount three or four times
larger than would. on balance. fall
to Frances share under the existing
agreement.
TT is difficult to see said lord
Curzon, "on what grounds a failure
by Germany to meet her obligations,
tionately damnified equally with her
allies, can be held to justify the claim
by France to be placed, at the eX-
pense of her allies. in far more
favorable position than she would
have occupied under the schedule OF
payments itself"
To Oppose Revision.
Lord Curzon declares his govern
od
ground whatever for revising the Spa
percentages. In this connection he
emphasizes that Great Britain alone
among the allies is paying interest on
debts incurred abroad during the war
representing a capital sum of thou
sand millions at the present rate of
exchange due America, and that Great
Britain alone has been deprived in the
allied interest of foreign securities
estimated at from 7o0.000.000 to S00,-
000, 900 pounds, which would other
wise substantially assist in the pay
ment of the British debt to America.
Lord CurZon opposes the Franco
Belgian contention that the repara-
tion commission is competent to un-
dertake an investigation of Germany's
to pay. taking the ground
that in the absence of an American
France and Belgium
would be able to carry any resolution
over the heads of the British and
Regarding the constitution Of the
proposed expert commission, the note
says the British government would
be willing to see upon it nominees
not onl. of the powers entitled to
but of the United States
and of powers which took no part in
the late war and it would seem de-
sirable of Germany itself. If, how
ever. the French government would
prefer any other form of constitution.
the British government would be
happy to consider it.
Support German View.
Declaring that the British govern
ment cannot subscribe to the thesis
that passive resistance must cease un-
conditionally because 1t is contrary
to the treaty of Versailles, Lord Cur
zon declares the highest legal au
thorities in Great Britain have ad-
vised the government that the Ger
man contention is well founded; that
the Franco-Belgian occupation of the
Ruhr is not a sanction, authorized by
the treaty itself. But the British
government is quite willing that this
or any other difference respecting the
legal Interpretation of the vital pro-
visions of the treaty should be au-
tomatically referred to the Interna-
tional Court of Justice at The Hague
or to other suitable arbitration.
Call Invasion Illegal.
Lengthily arguing the illegality of
the occupation of the Ruhr, the note
says:
IF his majesty's government hither-
to have abstained formally from con-
testing the legality of the Franco
Belgian occupation, they have done so
solely in conformity with the spirit of