Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-11-08
PARIS AND AMERICA
NOW BELIEVED NEAR
FARLEY AGREEMENT
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
(Lessed Wire Service to The Journal.)
Copyright. 1921

Copyright. 1891
WASHINGTON, Nov. 6.-France
and the United States are nearer an
agreement today on the scope Of
the proposed Inquiry into Germany's
capacity to pay PREPARATIONS than
at any time since the original inVi-
tation for a conference was issued
by Great Britain.
Jules Jusserand, the French am
bassador here, has received a COM
munication from Premier Poincare
which makes 1t clear that the
French view is not an insuperable
obstacle to the holding of the forth
coming parley.
On top of this Great Britain has
notified the United States govern
ment that Belgium, Italy and Great
Britain now are in absolute accord
with the American government as
to the scope of the inquiry of ex-
perts.
This leaves the difference between
France and the other four principal
powers TO be ironed out by Secre-
tary Hughes and Premier Poincare
through the medium of Mr.. JUS
serand here and American Ambas
sador Herrick IN Paris. 1t may take
two or three days to work out the
compromise, but the French premier
is so determined that the parley
shall be held that it may be as
sumed the difference Of opinion will
be resolved by a formula acceptable
to all sides.
DninnorA In Ia fnGi
communication to the American
government makes the following
declarations in substance:
First, the question of withdrawing
or. maintaining French troops in the
Ruhr shall not be a subject for dis
cussion by the proposed commits
sion of experts.
Second the inquiry shall EN-
brace the present capacity of Ger
many to pay PREPARATIONS.
Debt Reduction
Third, the total debt of Germany
may have to be reduced but this
will not be agreed to without CORE
spending concessions.
There is no intention on the part
of France to reduce the amount CT
the so.called a. and "B" bonds,
the French share of which totals
approximately $4,000, 900, 900. AS for
the so-called "C' bonds, the French
share Of which would amount to
$11 900 ,000 900, the French would be
willing to accept a reduction, pro-
vided the French debt to Great
Britain, which amounts to $4,000
900, 900 and the French debt to the
United States which amounts to 49,,
500 900, 900 were to be cut down, too.
The French premier is really max
ing these statements now in order
that he legally can protect himself
in case a proposal should be made
by the expert commission to cut the
German debt. He wants to be able
to say that he notified all concerned
in advance the exact conditions un-
der which he would permit a reduc-
ton of the German debt.
Az for the Limitation on the pres
ent capacity to pay, Mr.. Hughes has
an answer that, in all probability,
will satisfy Mr.. Poincare. 1t is that
the inquiry shall not be political in
nature at all, that all the powers
shall retain their treaty rights and
their privilege of accepting or reject
ing the findings Of the commission,
but that the experts shall conduct
an economic inquiry into the pro-
ductive capacity of Germany.
Mr.. Poincare for instance, is anX-
lows that new methods of payment
he devised for Germany but he
knows that an international loan
will not be forthcoming unless some
thing is known of Germany's future
earnipp mower as we'll
Anxious For Truth
The French premier is more than
anxious that the truth be ascer-
tanned as to the productive capacity
of the German people, rather than
the German government which is
admittedly bankrupt. He wants t
know what the revenues from taxa
ton might be, and what the bust
ness interests and industrial mag
mates can be expected to DO TO help
paw their fatherland's debt. Having
made clear what it is, the French
government wishes to avoid, when
is really any commitment in advance
that would require al reduction OF
the debt, the French premier IS
ready to proceed.
An air Of distinct hopefulness pre-
vailed at TIE French embassy today
after reading the COMMUNICATION
from Premier Poincare and M.
Tusserand promptly arranged for a
conference later in the day with Sec
retarv Hughes. The latter, incidental
". seemed in better spirits than he
has been for several days, and this