Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-08-23
BALDWIN TOCONFER
WITH PO|NCARE ON
PREPARATIONS ISSUE
British Premier Despairs of
Reaching Agreement by
Exchange of Notes.
CURZ0N MAY FIGURE
IN INFORMAL FARLEY
English Press Sees Nothing of
Benefit in Negotiations Be-
tween Allies.
By the Associated Press

by the Associated Press.
! LONDON, August 23.-Recognizing
the futility of a further exchange OF
lengthy notes on the reparation issue.
Prime Minister Baldwin has decided
to meet Premier Poincare upon the
formers return from his vacation at
Alx-ies-Bains, it became known today
the rBitish premier will not form
ally ask his French colleague for
an appointment. but will make known
quietly through second parties his
readiness to discuss the whole repara-
! ton problem in the light of the
French premier's latest note.
Inc British premier feels that while
In France he should profit by the sug-
gestion contained at the end OF NJ.
Poincare's note that France was ready
to discuss the indemnity problem YER
bally. 1t Is thought possible Lord
CurZon. the secretary for foreign af-
Iairs' may participate in this confer
ehce, since he plans to remain for
some time at Bagnolles, where he Is
at present recuperating.
Both Aix-les- BainS and Bagnolles
are within easy train distance OF
l'arls and both British cabinet minis
! ters could readily stop off for few
days at the French capital on their
way to London and have an earnest
personal talk with Premier Poincare.
Delay Conference.
| 1t is felt there is no immediate need
OF such verbal exchange OF views and,
In fact, that it would be preferable to
postpone it until the British government
experts charged with the study of repa-
ration questions have carefully ex-
amined all the clauses of the French
note and presented their findings to the
! cabinet.
The meeting. therefore, in all lkeli-
| hood, will take place after Mr.. Baldwin
! has had his vacation and has the con-
sidered and mutured judgment of the
cabinet before him.
Figures AssaiIed.
British treasury officials who cx-
amined the financial features of the re-
ply said the French figures were wholly
inadequate. They drew the inference
that France. after collecting her own
irreducible 26.oo0.o00,ooo gold marks
out of the class A and B reparations
bonds to cover the property devastation
| in the war zone, intended 20 pay her
! debts to the allies and the United States
out of the class c bonds. which are gen
| orally regarded here as of little more
value than waste paper.
Before his departure with Mrs
Baldwin on Saturday for AK Les
Bains, Premier Baldwin will discuss
| the PoinCare note with such cabinet
members as remain in town. For the
present he declines to commit himself
on the French note until the whole
OF that complicated document has
been thoroughly examined.
The Belgian note, which British
officials hope will have a modifying
effect on the rigidity of the French
claims and which they expect to
! be of more generous character than
the Potncare argument, will probably
arrive here Monday and will be sent
forthwith to Premier Baldwin and
Foreign Secretary CurZon in France.
a majority of the morning news
papers. CONNIE nting on Premier Poin-
cares note, are disappointed over the
| substance OF the note and declare
that, in effect, 1t leaves things just
where they were.
Press Sees Little Hope.
The Daily Telegraph concludes that
there is little hope for an agreement
between Great Britain and France,
either with regard to the Ruhr or
the amount of PREPARATIONS or the
question OF interallied debts. For
| all practical purposes il says. the,
1 HOle leaves Things precisely as tney
were and indicates no approximation
to common ground on which Great
Britain and France can hope to renew
the united action which both nations
deeply desire"
The Daily Chronicle thinks that,
| taken at its face value. the note
would put an end to all hopes of
! common action between Great Britain
and France, but believing that NJ.
! Poincare'S words are addressed 10
! French critics rather than to Great
Britain. 1t thinks II is possible TO
! read between the lines some indica-
ton of French Willingness to come.
/ to terms.
But" it adds. the French must
! either come to terms with us at once,
| before we are all involved in disaster.
or we must part company at once"
| See No Solution.
I'VE cannot see that the note car
ries the world nearer a solution of
the reparations problem or points
! the way to the rescue of central
Europe from total ruin" the Daily
! News says. m. Poincare forgets
nothing. admits nothing and proposes
nothing than what had been propos-
ed with less urbanity before"
1.-The note" says the Westminster
| Gazette, serves only to demonstrate
| how impossible 1t is to reconcile the
British policy toward Germany with
the policy of the French government"
GERMANS DISCOURAGED.