Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-12-13
SIGNS Of CLEARING
PREPARATIONS SNARL
READ IN REPORTS
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Ueased Wire Service to The Journal.)
Copyright, 1929

Copyright, 1929
WASHINGTON, Dec. 11.-Al-
though The British political situation
at the moment is holding in check
the progress of the reparations com.
mission AS we'll as all other diplo.
lieve that something tangible in the
way Of an understanding on the rep
aration problem may be expected
soOr.
Tor several days there have been
informal exchanges of views between
Colonel James Logan, the unofficial
American representative on the rep
arations commission, and the de-
partment Cf state, relative to the pro.
posal OF tile commission that an in
quiry by experts be set in motion to
discover Germany's true capacity to
pay.
Parallel with this there have been
converse tions between leading finan.
ciers and business men of the prin-
cipal allied countries as we'll as with
German industrialists in the hope
of finding a commend ground on
which to base settlement of the
all-important reparations question.
Hughes Suggestion Lives
The present parleys are theoreti-
cally at the initiative OF the repara-
items commission but actually they
are a prolongation of the negotia-
lions over the proposal made by Sec
rotary of State Hughes in his New
Haven speech which was made the
basis of an invitation by the British
government for an international in
quiry. T remier Poincare saw fit to
impose limitations on the powers Of
the commission which were based
upon a conviction that a parley
which meant an immediate scaling
down OF German debts would be fu-
till. Since that time the French
premier was prevailed upon not to
let American cooperation fall by the
Wayside and the new proposition,
which differs in some respects from
Mr.. Hughes proposal is in process
OF beir,g constantly modified in or
der to meet the views of the Ameri-
can government.
1t has been made clear that even
# the proposal is satisfactory to the
United States government, the rep
resentatives chosen will not be Off
cial agents of the American gov
eminent but American citizens act
ing in a private capacity. This
means men in whom the American
investor public would have conf
Hence, financiers as we'll as business
men.
Solution Not Impossible
1t has long been realized, however,
| that the formation Of a commission
Of inquiry is merely the creation of
machinery whereby a final settle
ment could be accomplished and
was known to the principal govern
ments the inquiry itself would have
! little chance of success. There
lever was a time when official opin-
| ion here, for instance, believed the
| EcpdEdllOLS pIOUleHl uuSOlNdDI0s LII
deed, the belief has been held by the
highest officials that if the indus
trialists of the allied countries could
sit down with a group Of bankers
and business men, they might a.
any time reach an agreement for a
German moratorium and the exten.
sion to Germany OF an international
foan. The obstacle to the loan has
been French insistence on the right
TO exact penalties in case Of de.
FAULT in reparation payments. AS
an Offset to this, the idea Of a guar.
antee by international bankers who
would underwrite the German loan
has been advanced, together with
suggestions for a treaty OF mutual
| guarantee against aggression.
When the British political situa'
ton has cleared, some announce
ment Of progress in the direction OF
q SnttlaV1ont nav bo