Evening star., 1923-01-04
CONTINUED from First Page.)

advancing at the same time fresh
British objections to the French pro-
posals.
There Is still an inclination among
seasoned observers of similar confer
ences to hope, IL not believe, that
some eleventh hour solution might be
round to avoid q rupture. The for
eign editor of LIE Matin recalled to-
day that there was once just such
deadlock between Lloyd George and
Briand over the Silesian question and
tnat the same Marquis Della TorretTa,
who is sitting as Italy's representative
In the present conference. found
way out of the dilemma by inducing
the parties to refer their problem 20
the league of nations.
Market Holds Firm.
1t was pointed out that the bourse
old not seem to believe that a break
down was imminent, and that the
market was firm throughout yester-
days session. There was plenty of
actIvity In foreign exchange. with
very shght modification Of rates,
Little justification for an optimistic
view was generally held, and 1t was
thought that the reparations question
hasds hg Of 4e marsb Rat by Fra France Into the
cute Judgment on the defaultlng
debtor. A suggestion that the terms
or the French plan be submitted to
Germany In the form of an ultimatum
previous to any action In the Ruhr
round little support.
The French press continues TO hold
It's moderate and liberal View Of the
proceedings.
French Plan Attacked.
"The French plan would make the
recovery OF German credit impossible
and 1t destroys all chance OF getting
large sum In reparations," said Pre-
mter Bonar Law, in his speech before
the conference yesterday afternoon.
complete that the reparations com
mission would possess the taxing
power OF the country and would
therefore become the government Of
the country. This Is dangerous, If you
want a country to be self governed
covery."
Referring to the clause in the Brit
ish plan which states that Great
Britain would retain the French and
Italian gold deposits in England, Mr.
Bonar Law explained that these de-
posits no longer existed, as they had
peen shipped to the United States
during the war to pay for munitions
which were used by all the allies
The British prime minister took up
I4ie SIItICISm OF the British scheme
and said that Great Britain would let
Belgian priority stand, although Bel
gium had actually received already
more than the British plan would
take away from her. He realized that
NJ. Poincare had taken out of his plan
certain things offensive to the British.
but declared that the real differences
was one of fact; If he believed M,
Poincare's plan would produce the
money he would gladly accept the
plan.
Not Treaty Violation.
The British plan, in his view. was
not a violation of the treaty but il
II were 1T was certainly no more so
than the French plan. He felt sure
that the British scheme came under
annex 2, part 8, of the treaty of Yer
sailles.
Il think it is right that we should
race the realities of the situation" he
IF there is a real vital
difference of opinion between the al
lies there is no use in casting up an
plan, although l am not
saying l would refuse to consider q
compromise. The broad differences
between France and Great Britain are
on the total amount of reparations to
be asked and the method OF obtaining
the money. 1t is possible that France