Evening star., 1923-05-14
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 1.-THE text Of the
British governments note to Ger
many in reply to Germany's recent
reparations offer was made public
yesterday. 1t is signed by Lord Cur
zon, secretary for foreign affairs, and
says:
His majesty's government have
given careful attention to the memo
randum of your excellency. COM
municated to me May 2, in which the
German government put forward pro-
posals for a settlement Of reparations.
This action on their part is we'll
known to have been a sequel to the
suggestion I made in debate in the
British parliament April 20, and his
majesty's government, therefore, have
special interest in the response re-
turned to that appeal.
"I cannot conceal from your ex-
cellency that the proposals OF your
government come as great disap-
pointment, and that the unfavorable
impression they made on his maj
allies, is one which. In my opinion,
the German government might and
ought to have foreseen. and, there
fore, guarded against.
Far From Expectation.
"The proposals are far from cor
responding, either In form or in sub
stance, to what his ma3esty's gov
ernment might reasonably have ex-
pected would be made in answer to
| the advice /. on more than one oc-
casion, ventured to convey to the
German government through your ex-
| cellency, and to the more direct in
dication to them in the speech refer
red to.
THE main grounds for this legiti-
mate disappointment are the follow
ing:
"First-The German government
offer in total payment of their ac-
knowledged debt a sum which. falling
| far below the moderate amount FORM
! ing the basis Of the British scheme
submitted to the Paris conference in
January, last. must have been known
| in advance to be altogether unac-
| ceptable to the allied governments.
Furthermore. payment Of even this
| INADEQUATE sum is made dependent on
a series of international loans, the
| success Of which in the conditions
predicated must be largely specula-
| tive. So much so that the scheme
| proposed by the German government
| actually contains provisions dealing
| not materializing. Moreover. the ar
| rangements proposed under this head
| involve financial conditions less bur-
| densome to Germany than If the loans
| were to be successful SO no real in
J centive thereby is held out for her to
| attempt to raise them.
Calls OFFER Vague.
| "Second-The failure of the German
reply to indicate with greater pre-
cision the nature Of the guarantees
| they are disposed to offer Is more
particularly to be regretted. The al
| lied governments. instead of receiv-
4 ing concrete and substantial pro-
posals in this respect, are confronted
with vague assurances and refer
| ences to future negotiations which in
a business transaction of this kind
are lacking in practical value.
THE disappointment Is enhanced by
the belief, which his majesty's gov
ernment would like to entertain, that
| indications are to be found in the
German memorandum that the Ger
man government recognize the re-
sponsibility resting on them to make
obligations under the Versailles
treaty in a manner which the allies
could regard as both equitable and
sincere.
Blamed for World Ills.
"If Germany did intend to open the
way to an effectual and speedy solu-
ton of the problem. the failure to
settle which is gravely disturbing the
| political and economic condition of
Europe. and, indeed, the whole world.
then 1t seems unfortunate that she
| should not have shown keener ap-
probation of the lines on which alone
! can any such settlement be sought.
His majesty's government are per-
suaded that in her own interest Ger
many will see the advantage Of dis
playing a greater readiness to grap-
pie with the realities of the case, and,
discarding all irrelevant or contro-
verSial issues. will proceed to recon-
slider or expand their proposals in
such q way as to convert them into
a feasible basis for further discus
sion.
I'm such a discussion his majesty's
government will, at a suitable mo-
| ment, be ready to take part by the
| side Of its allies, with whom they
share a practical interest in this
question. which they have no inten-
| tion to abandon, as well as a desire to
terminate a situation of internation-
! al peril.
But they cannot conceal from the
German government that the first step
forward to a realization of any such
hope must be recognition by Germany
that contribution much more serious
and much more precise is required
than any which yet has been forth
coming"