Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-07-12
Separate Reply to Latest
German Preparations Note
Will Be Submitted to Allies
in "Hope" They Will Agree.
PAINTS GLOOMY SCENE
OF DEVASTATED EUROPE
Sole Ground of Divergence Best
Means of Payment, He Declares.
Indicates U. s. Not Consulted in
Decision to Assume New Re-
sronsibility.
nv the Associated Press.

ny the Associated Press.
LONDON, July I2.-Great Britain
has informed France and Italy that
she is ready to assume the RESPONSE
bility of preparing the draft of a
reply to the German reparations note.
The reply will he submitted to the
allies with the least possible delay
in the hope that they will agree to
Its terms.
Invites sympathy of Allies.
Announcement to this effect was
made by Prime Minister Baldwin in a
statement tu the house of commons
today on Great Britain's reparation
policy.
The British government. he said.
invites the sympathy of the allies and
of all interested states for the propo-
: sal. which aims solely at the pacif1ca-
tion of Europe and the recovery of
the exhausted world.
Premier Baldwin in his statement
said it could not be made too clear,
in the interests alike of the powers
concerned and any who might hope to
profit by exploiting the differences
between them, that the sole ground
fectfve means Of realizing the ends
which were vital to all. These ends
were the payment of reparations and
the recovery of the security of
said, the allies have grudged moth
ing in the past, nor will they
Srudge anything in thesfucure.'-
Sees Ruin to Europe.
This responsibility" he went on. lis
acknowledged and shared In equal meas
ure by the allies, but devolves especially
on the French and British nations. We
are as determined as any of our allies
that Germany shall make separations
for the damages done in the great war,
TO the fullest extent of her capacity. We
have never wavered on that point. The
government is conscious that, as a bust
ness nation, IL we ask Germany to pay
in excess Of her capacity. We shall not
succeed.
we are firmly convinced that meas
ures which would result in the ruin of
Germany, would be fatal to this country,
our allies, and the whole of Europe.
The allies are obtaining less PREPARATIONS
than before the occupation of the Ruhr.
and these have to be exacted at the
price of dislocation Of the German eco
nomic system and probably the future
collapse of that system.
Public Opinion Alarmed.
opinion throughout Europe. and
not the least in Great Britain, is be-
coming more sensitive to these con-
ditions, with alarm at their con-
tnuance. The recovery of the world
Is in danger. Peace is at stake.
Peace cannot be secured until three
questions are settled: First, the pay
nf rot
ment OF the interallied debts, and third,
the security of pacified Europe
From the beginning we have made
IT clear that in our opinion the occu-
patton of the Ruhr was not calculated
TO produce the maximum amount Of
PREPARATIONS payment Many of the
consequences which were anticipated
In the course of fuifilment. Ger
many herself appears to be moving
fast toward economic chaos"
Scores Pence-Time Occupation.
Dealing with the present situation
in the Ruhr, the premier said indefi-
mite occupation by one country of
the territory of another in time Of
peace was a phenomenon and regret
table. to which an honorable end
should be found as soon as possible.
The proposals set forth in the recent
German note were inadequate. he
admitted, but they should be explored
and examined, not ignored.
I'VE shall submit a reply with the
least possible delay to our allies for
their consideration and remarks" he
announced, land We indulge in the
hope that we may be able to arrive
at agreement with them on the terms.
What the exact nature of the reply
should be, it would be premature to
discuss at the present stage.
I'm formulating these views, his
majesty's government are not without
hope that they will be expressing the
allied sentiments as well as our own.
We do not believe that in principle
we are widely separated, If at all.
should not be incapable of resolution"
Mr. Baldwin failed to state what the
British proposals will be in the note
the government intends framing, nor
did he say anything in regard to an
international commission to examine
into Germany's capacity to pay.
VIII Continue United Action.
In conclusion Mr.. Baldwin said: so
far as united action Is possible we
shall continue to pursue 1t. We shall
confidently invite the sympathetic
consideration of the whole of our al
lies and all the interested states to
proposals which will have no other
aim than the paciflcation OF Europe
and the recovery of an exhausted
world"
referring to the position of the
allies, Mr.. Baldwin said the exchange
of friendly conversations had not ap-
peared to lead to positive results and
II was becoming evident that the
attitude of the principal parties must
be more clearly defined. He held that
the debtor should not be merely called
,Ipon to pay his debts. but should be
placed in position to do.
Has Not Approached U. 8.
Replying to questions by Ramsay
Macdonald, the opposition leader.
Premier Baldwin said the reply to
AGermany would be proceeded with
forthwith. He would say tomorrow
whether the reply was being COM
municated to the United States.
Commander Kenworthy. liberal
n,ember for Hull, asked whether the
government had approached or had
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