Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-11-13
ALLIES MAY IGNORE
FRENCH OBJECTIONS
To FARLEY ON DEBT
ReparationS Inquiry by the
United States, England,
Belgium and Italy Is Seen
as a Possibility
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
LEASED Wire Service to The Journal.)
DOWNRIGHT 1923

WASHINGTON Nov. 1e.-The
door is still open for a conference
of experts to examine Germany's
capacity to pay Preparations. but the
question that the United States and
Great Britain now must decide is
whether the parley shall be held
without the participation Of France.
Italy, Belgium, the United States
France alone dissents. Under the
Versailles treaty. it is within the
power of the Preparations commits
sion TO employ experts to take any
action by a majority vote except
actually to reduce German indebted.
ness.
Secretary Hughes contends the
purpose of the inquiry was merely
advisory. So the powers that have
accepted without reservation the
British proposal that the repara.
tions commission appoint experts to
examine the question OF German
capacity to pay can go ahead with
out France if they desire. Such a
course might NOT offend France as
would be supposed at first glance,
because then the inquiry could be
conducted without acceptance by
the French of any responsibility for
the findings of the commission of
experts. What Premier Poincare
has wanted has been freedom Of &C
ton so that he would not appear to
he To n
ton of German debt. If France is
not part OF the inquiry, her rights
will be absolutely safeguarded and
the Poincare government saved
from internal political attack:
Britain FOresaw Situation
Great Britain foresaw such
situation. as has developed because
in the original note to the United
States the question was asked
whether the American government
would participate in an inquiry II
there happened to be lack OF
unanimity on the part of the allies
as to the desirability of confer
ence. The United States naturally
did not wish to anticipate any dis
sensions or seem to be threatening
a course of action predicated on
=
to that point was reserved for
future consideration.
IT now becomes pertinent fer the
government of Great Britain to ask
again whether the United States
would join with Belgium, Italy abd
Great Britain in an ir formal inqAlry
into German capacity to pay.
Since the original purpose Of the
British invitation was to get such
an inquiry started as would result
in placing before the world the facts
about repair atoms and the best meth
DDS of getting an international Loaf
floated to help Germany recurerate,
the same object could be served pY
a commission of experts from Bel
GUM, America, Britain and Italy.
Possibly when the commission report.
ed, France might then find in the
recommendations a suitable basis
for a settlement. AS it is now, the
French are in the position of block
ing an inquiry into the facts and
there is nothing in the Versailles
treaty to prevent the other allies
from making S lates whenever
they pI~ase.
II the purpose Of the allied move
was to crystalline world opinion so as
to persuade the F'~,nch people that
u reduction of the German debt is
essential, the French have recognized
that purpose and have felt justified
in endeavoring to Illustrate the par.
ley. But the influence upon world
opinion can still be exerted by an
nter-allied inquiry without France.
POlitic"I Backfire Seen
President Coolidge and Secretary
Hughes have indicated that they be
lieVed unanimous Lotion was essen
tial to final settlement. Nations can
not be compelled to give up treaty
rights or make any other concessions
without their consent. Already there
IS political backfire here against the
Coolidge administration for ventur-
ing into the reparation problem at
all. The action of France affords
the W. ton admin. .Stration a
graceful way out of what might have
developed into a serious political
quarrel on the eve of Mr.. Coolidge's
own campaign for the presidential
nomination.
America has been nearer in the
last two weeks to participation in Eu-
ropean affairs than she J as been for
three years. Europe has been plead
ing for American help. The United
States has offered it, but France has
blocked the way largely because she
did not believe IL. United States
would give any substantial aid, buc
would merely lend moral influence
to the British 5i-ion, and the dis
trust of Britain's policy by the
French is by no means denied
either in London CT Paris.
The failure of the United States to
ratify the Yer. lies treaty or to ap-
prove the three-power pact for the
defense of the French against Ger
many together with the insistence OF
Washington that the allied debt to
the United States must not be mixed
up with the German debt TO France
has made the -~oincG government
feel it can not expect much from
America and that a policy of isola-
ton and direct dealing with Germany