The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-11-08
FRENCH ATTITUDE
SHOCKS ALLIES
POINcARE'S CHARGE OF BETRAY-
Al BY NATIONS MAY ELIMlN-
ATE u. S. FROM QUIZ
DUPED BY AMERICA CHARGE
Speech at Nevers ~Insinuates America
and Britain Not in Accord With
Treaty of Versailles

at Nevers, recognized four points a
within the jurisdiction of the commit
zee of experts which is to make a rep
aration inquiry as a result of the re
cent negotiations of the European
chancellors and the Washington gov
eminent. The premier by his recog
milton, it is held, excluded considera
ton of any other point. The foul
points indicated are:
First-Germany's present capacity
for payment.
Second-New methods of payment.
Third-The renovation of German
finances.
Fourth-A new monetary system.
This program, the foreign office
points out, is in line with that indicat-
ed in the American note to London.
Premier P~oincare, it is declared, con-
siders that Germany's debt to the
allies was fixed once for all and can
not be changed, any more than the
total amounts advanced by the United
States to the allies during the war can
be changed.
Dealing with the peace treaty, the
premier said the victors had in several
months re-made the map of the world,
resuscitated some nations and created
others, and had altered frontiers.
France" he added, neither re-
ceived nor asked any territorial advan-
tage in Europe. She simply recovered
what belongs to her-what had been
stolen from her. But she was told:
keep quiet; if you agree not to re-
main too long on the Rhine we will
guarantee you against fresh aggres.
sion.' 1t was added: Have no fear;
you shall be Unidentified for all the
damage you have suffered She then
signed with confidence a treaty with
which she was not very well satisfied
but on which at least she counted az
a minimum.
Not many months passed before the
finest stones of the edifice crumbled
to dust. Our allies who we're the most
keen in demanding the prosecution of
the kaiser and his accomplices forgot
their intentions and were astonished
when we reminded them. Those who
had insisted m a reduction of the du-
ration of our occupation and who had
us guarantee pacts-which in
ci%dentally were far from sufficient
withdrew, some of them failing to
ratify the treaty in the making of
which they had collaborated, and
others repeating that their offer was
dependent On the definite attitude Of
the former"
Observation-Disclosures placed
by the French office on Premier
remarks at Nevers,
official Washington some
what, in so far as any purpose of
to prevent a full, complete and
impartial inquiry by economic experts
into the reparations question may be
indicated.
Press reports of the foreign office
came as a surprise to officials
here, who had been under the impress
sion the French premier had accepted
The expert committee plan with only
the reservation of all French rights
1nder the treaty of Versailles and in
that the committee function
lnder the PREPARATIONS commission.
To what the limitations upon the
of the commissions inquiry read
~ the French foreign office into the
,remier's speech according to press adj
would influence American parti-
was not indicated. 1t was
very plain, however, that the
United States would look upon n
Ian that did not provide for a full and
rec examination by the experts of
1~ermany's capacity to make repara- l
ions payments as an ''abortive effort I
0 solve the problem. !
One of the first effects Of Wash 1
possible withdrawal, it is be- q
ieved, would be almost certainly the {
all of the German government, whose /
enure of office is only held by a
bread, and it seems hardly likely that
can survive the realization that
othing is to be hoped for from the S
United States, if this government re- '
lains aloof. c
Whether the British governments i
efusal to recognize a Rhineland re-
ublic had anything to do with what
oA~-,J1-1I L.
liable tone M. Poincare adopted in his d
Deech, is only a matter of speculation, h
ut Anglo-French relations are likely Y
be embittered by that refusal. r.