The Winslow mail., 1923-11-16
NEWS REVIEW OF
CURRENT EVENTS
Poincare Accepts the Hughes
Plan for Committee of Ex-
perts, With Reservations.
GERMAN ROYALISTS MOBILIZE
BY EDWARD w. PIcKARD

COLUTION of the German repar-
~ ations problem, which in large
measure is the economic and financial
problem of all Europe, is now within
the bounds of possibility if not prob
ability. Secretary Hughes suggestion
OF committee of experts is likely to
be adopted, with some notifications.
Assured by Washington that the Uni
ted States would participate in an ad-
visory capacity, Great Britain asked
France whether she would agree to
the plan, and Premier Poincare's re-
ply was prompt and as satisfactory
as could well be expected. In pub
lie speech, a proclamation and notes
to London, he accepted the proposals
In principle, but insisted the findings
of the experts must be only advisory
In character and relating only to the
present capacity of Germany to pay,
and should not be necessarily binding
on either the reparations commission
or the governments concerned. The
selection of the experts, except the
American, he said, should be made by
the reparations commission. In his
speech he also declared France would
not permit discussion of a reduction
in the reparations total fixed in May,
1921, at 132,0O0,OO0OOO gold marks
1888, ,000,O 0,OOO,OOO), or a suggestion for
an abandonment of the guarantees.
With these restrictions, M. Poincare
consented to join in an invitation to
the United States to send representa-
tives to the conference of experts. At
first the English were disappointed
and angry, but the government de-
cided to accept the French reserva-
tions. There is no reason to believe
any other of the nations concerned
will object to the plan.
The reparations commission. on mo-
ton of Sir John Bradbury, English,
ruled that no one of the nations had
the right to dictate as to the COM
petence or to define or limit the juris-
dictiOn Of the commission in dealing
with the problem of the German in
demnity. This might permit the over
riding of the French restrictions, and
even the discussion of the interallied
debts so far as they affect reparations.
Poincare's reservations are not held
by the administration at Washington
to be a bar to the execution of the
Hughes plan and our part in putting it
into operation is under way. The Eu-
ropeans would like to see an American
made chairman of the committee of
experts, and would prefer ]. P. Nor
gan, Roland Boyden or Paul Cravath.
1t may be Mr.. Morgan would not serve,
and there is talk of the selection of
Elihu Root. Washington has made it
plain to the allies that by participa
ton in the conference we accept no
responsibility for the enforcing of it's
findings.
Meanwhile, the German industrial
magnates and General Degoutte have
been In conference trying to arrange
for resumption of work in the Ruhr
and Of the payment Of reparationS in
kind. If the accord is signed it will
provide that the German government
shall pay the industrialists for deliv-
cries to France, beginning next spring
AT this writing the Germans have
yielded to almost all the French de-
mands except restrictions of their
rights to free trade with unoccupied
Germany and the rest of the world.
Krupp Won Bohlen was paroled from
prison to take part in the conferences.
On Thursday he signed the accord.
N ISPATCHES from Germany insist
H. that Chancellor Stresemann's gov
ernment is "tottering on the brink"
fhe Socialists are still threatening to
quit him, and the monarchists are try
ing to bring about a dictatorship for
the whole country with the ultimate
purpose, presumably, of restoring the
empire. This movement is fostered
especially by the Bavarians, and