Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-08-28
NOTE WRITING
DIRECT ACTION IS
URGED BY BELGIUM
Premier Baldwin in Paris En-
Route to Resort-Poincare
to Answer Cuno in Sun
day Speech

BRUSSELL, Aug. 25.-(By the AS,
ISOLATED Press.)-The usefulness or
exchanging diplomatic notes over the
PREPARATIONS question has been ex-
hausted; the allied governments have
completed their study Of the prob
lem, and the time has arrived for re-
sumption of direct conversations be-
tween the governments.
These are the conclusions Of Bel
GUMS reply to the latest note from
the British foreign secretary.
ONLY s BILLION MARKS
PAID, FRANCE DECLARES
PARIS, Aug. 25.-(By the Asso-
ciated Press. )-Exceptio is taken
here to the PREPARATION figures given
by Chancellor Stresemann Of Ger
many in his speech yesterday, based
on an estimate by the Washington
institute of economics that Germany
has already paid total indemnity
of between twenty-five and twenty
six billion gold marks. 1t was de-
clared at the headquarters of the
reparation commission today that
the institutes estimate undoubtedly
was based on an erroneous inter.
probation of the treaty of Versailles.
The difference between the repara-
ton commissions credits to Ger
many of about eight billion gold
marks in round figures and the
forty-two billion gold marks which
Wr. Stresemann claims as the totat
value Of the deliveries in kind and
payment in cash, consists largely OF
"restitutions," it was said, when
under the treaty are regarded simply
as offsetting articles and products
carried out of the allied territories
by the Germans during the war.
These resolutions, high official
of the commission asserted, I'M
doubtedly had been charged to the
PREPARATIONS account at Berlin, put
they could not enter into the total
received by the allies. There is q
big difference also in the amount
credited by the allies and the amount
claimed by Germany for the mer-
chat fleet aggregating three million
tons which was turned over to the
victorious powers.
The commission, added the Official,
always granted hearing to the Ger
mans before finally fixing upon the
amounts to be credited and when
ever there was doubt in the minds
of the members as to the exact
value the estimates were raised
rather than lowered, as every one
orp the commission believed the full
1872 900, 5000 gold marks should
never be Forthcoming in any case
and that the deliveries consequently
might as well be credited generously.
The Germans, it is declared have
never made official protest against
the amounts credited to them by the
commission.
The reply covers twenty-five type
written pages. While not indicating
a time or place for the conference it
advocates, the Belgian government
expresses the hope that inasmuch 8
neither Premier Poincare nor Prime
Minister Baldwin seem hostile to the
idea, direct negotiations on the ques-
ton, (which has been greatly clarl.
fled by the documents exchanged,
should be scheduled as soon as pos
sible.
BALDWIN REACHES PARIS;
POINCARE TO ANSWER CUNO
PARIS, Aug. 25.-Prime Minister
Baldwin, OF Great Britain, arrived
here tonight and was greeted by
representative of Premier Poircares
who expressed the premier's official
greetings.
Baldwin, who was travelling incog-
nito, stayed only a short time in
Paris, continuing his journey to AK
Les Bains for a rest.
The foreign office took no aotice
of Baldwin's visit, since the British
prime minister was travelling in g.
purely unofficial capacity. Premier
Poincare left tonight for the Meuse
to deliver his usual Sunday SER
mons" tomorrow in the devastated
zone.
Paris still was without positive
confirmation of reports that Mr..
Baldwin would confer with Premier
Poincare on . his return from the
watering place, and it was believed
discussion regarding the conversa-
lions might not take place until
after the British premier has seen
Marquis CurZon, the British foreign
minister, who also is resting here i'll
France.
In the event the foreign minister
and the chief of the British govern
ment consider the atmosphere here
favorable, it was believed Mr.. Bald ,
win might carry out the previously
reported plan for a new internation-
al conference to discuss the whole
problem Of Preparations and Franco
British Emergencies.
Premier Poincare, in his speech at
Gondrecourt tomorrow during the
ceremony commemorative arrival of
American troops was expected to
reaffirm Frances determination not
to sacrifice lone centime of repara-
tions" and to remain in the Ruhr
until Germany has paid her obliga-
tons in full.
1t was generally believed Poin-
cares address would take the form
of a reply to the speech Of Chahcel-
lor Stresemann before the banquet
of the German industrialists in Ber-
lin yesterday, and that the French
premier would reject Stresemann'S
renewal of the Preparations offer Of
the Cuno government just as, forcl-
bly, as he rejected it at the time it
was made.
The French premier spent part Of
today studying the text OF the Bel
gian reply to the British note and
instructed the French ambassador
in Brussels to report his impress.
sion of the document Immediately.