San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-02
BELGIAN NOTE
{ HONEST TRIAL
!. FOR SOLUTION
s.
Little Nation Confronted
With Difficult Choice
Meets 1t Fairly.
FIGHTS A PREJUDICE
England Inclined to Give
, Scant Attention to Bel
GUMS Claims.
FIGHTS A PREJUDICE
Nv ANDRE TARDIEU.

BY ANDRE TAKDiEI.
Copyright, by the San Antonio Light
. Paris, Sept. 1T seems 10 lie the
Belgians destiny always to be con-
fronted with difficult cnoice. In
1914 they had TO choose between lib
crty and death. They chose liberty.
Today they must choose between
Z Great Britain and France-between
J their reparations and their friends.
The choice is perhaps less tragic
: but very delicate.
; three wears and be it said TO their
1 honor that If they have not succeeded
! in solving the question, they nave
! been straightforward about II: Inc
/; last note from Brussels to London
. affords another testimonial.
!. Belgium as the note shows IS FOL
. lowing a separate policy OF compro-
? mise for a general solution of the
!. Preparations problem. Geography
: politics and trade make this attitude
q advisable and she follows 1t with en-
z tire fairness. In brief. she proposes
n that Germany be required to pay
4 10000, 100000 gold marks, and that
! percentages accruing TO the different
= allies be modified so material dam,
ages will be paid before personal
- damages (pensions). Great Britain,
sbecause of her dominions, always has
been opposed to the latter arrange
sments and Bel, ium probably will not
get far with that proposal in Lon
don. One other point: Since Eng
land demands a fixed sum of four
teen billion gold marks, equallins the
amount she must pay TO the United
States it is clear that If her percent
age is decreased she will demand from
the allies what she fails to get from
Germany.
Therefore the writer does not be-
,lieve that Foreign Minister Jaspar's
mote will bring the long reparations
controversy to a close. However, II
defines the issue more closely than
anything heretofore and puts it in
,plain figures. 1t is true that Eng
land seems almost as dissatisfied with
the Belgian note as with the French
mote. Thus the chances Of an agree
'ment are no better today than they
were yesterday.
Foreign Secretary CurzOn, in his
last memorandum. treated Belgium
claims rather lightly. He virtually ac-
FUSED them of having received too
much in the past and of wishing to
receive too much in the future. Yet
Belgium has received only small
part of what the treaty promised and
of what justice required. Doubtless
iCurzon would have been less harsh
at the moment when Belgium's little
army was covering the British army's
.debarkation.
What Belgium did in 1914 almost
at the cost of her life is perhaps
'history's greatest moral gesture. 1t
merits a little more consideration
when speaking of its financial conse-
quences.
Lloyd Georges Attitude Brutal.
The writer has often wondered at
the shortness of memory of certain
British ministers in these matters.
AT the peace conference we had to
fight as hard for Belgium's priority
as for the right to occupy the left
bank of the Rhine. Lloyd-George
was totally opposed TO Belgium's
! priority.
/ "You lost fewer killed than we
did," he retorted brutally to Hymans
and VanderYelde, Belgium's delegates.
<, The British delegates said the law
should be equal for all and that
Belgium priority would make their
I situation impossible before the house
\ of commons. Clemenceau finally won
B the point and later told the story be-
I fore the French senate in the follow
ing terms which are worth recalling
~ ~As for Belgian priority ! have
tperhaps acted rashly. We did not
{ sobtain priority for our reparations
Y yet at the critical moment when Bel.
I sgium needed our help succeeded in
\ getting priority of two and a hall
billions for Belgium. / didn't gel
y 1T for France, but for another.
Z was perhaps rash, 1 repeat, but
couldn't allow Belgium to be left in
( such situation with Frances con
( sent"
y From all parties the unanimous CRY
I arose:
"You are right"
Frances attitude has not changed
! and if Franco-Belgian solidarity ha!
,been maintained in the Ruhr affair
! perhaps these old memories Of fouI
! years ago have as much TO do with i
.as the community of interests in
I volved.