Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-11-19
MOMENTOUS MEETING

Paris, Nov. IS (By A. P)-France
will insist that the Reich government
yield on the question of providing
protection for the inter- allied mission
of military control in Germany, and
with the French government COM
mitted, through the public utterances
of it's premier, to a policy entailing
new penalties, and England authori-
tatively reported be as unalterably
opposed to any new penalties, the
ambassadors council. which will
meet at eleven o'clock tomorrow
morning, is likely to prove the most
momentous in the history Of that
Body.
In spite of the threatening outlook.
however, the feeling in political
circles has become rather more OPP
| timistic and reports are current that
| an eleventh hour compromise may
be reached.
There is a distinct deposition both
| in political circles and the press to
| minimize the Importance OF the two
, questions coming up for solution be-
fore the ambassadors tomorrow. The
relatively trifling Importance OF
these two problems is contrasted with
| the consequences entailed in a break
between France and Great Britain
| and it is pointed out that affairs OF
| a more serious nature have been
settled without a rupture. 1t can be
! authoritatively said that the two
| countries tonight are standing by
| their positions, for and against PEN
! alties, and it is difficult to see how
a break can be avoided On the ques-
| ton of military control, as the ques-
| ton of the former GerL an crown
prince has been relegated to second
place. -
| Belgium supports France on mill.
/ tary control and the question or the
iformer German prince, the.t two ecun-
tries having become reconciled once
more on these points, on which they
| had drifted far apart; Baron de Gaif-
! fer d'Festroy, the Belgian ambas-
sador to France, Rad instruction: to
| that effect as far back as Friday and
| the Leipzig affair, in which Belgian
| lieutenant attached to one OF the
various commissions of military con-
| troll, was arrested and placed IN jail
] by Germans, has strengthened Eel
I gis determination to obtain saVls-
\ faction on that point.
On the other hand, 1t Is understood
| that the British government in in
| structions sent to the Marquis or
| Crewe today maintains its refusal to
| subscribe to penalties in addition 10
| those already eXacted. Thus, II,
when the amba ssadors' council meets,
| France insists on new penalties, as
| M. Poincare's speech today indicat-
ed, there is little chance OF France
and Great Britain agreeing. That
such termination is expected Is In
| dictated, as cabinet councils both IN
Paris and Brussels, at which Presl-
I dent Millerand and King Albert Will
preside respectivel.. have been call
| ed for tomorrow afternoon.
The Temps, commenting on the
| prospects of rupture, counselS
against too much insistence upon ex-
| acting guarantees, saying: 1T Is not
in conformity with the interests or
| France to struggle against Germany
and England at the same time. 1t is
no longer a question of proclaiming
ones rights. International affairs
unfortunately recognize no tribunal
or police. The exact guarantees may
| be the best or the worst policy
"How was France flung into the
war of 1870? By demanding guar
| antees against the scent of a
Hohenzollern upon the throne OF
| Spain. How did Germany prevent
peace in 1914? BY demanding
guarantees to the east and Nest.
The cooperation of France and Great
! Britain must be organized. above ALL.
The Journal Des Debats says:
"The problem is not one of military
| control or the German crown prince:
/ it is really allied collaboration and
Franco British relations which are
at stake. Public opinion in London
| and Paris cannot consider the
eventuality of rupture with q light
] heart.
British opinion, we hope, will UNI
derstand that in insisting upon the
fulfillment of one of the most i'm
portant clauses of the; Versailles
| treaty-German armaments-we are
not unduly exaggerating stubborn
! ness, but are trying to assure the
security of all future peace in
Europe. in demanding that German
militarism shall not be allowed to be
reconstructed"