Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-08-30
FRANCE SEES WAY
CLEAR To SETTLE
PROBLEM Of RUHR
Differences Between Three
Allies on ReparationS Could
Be Settled by ConverSa-
tons, Is View in Paris

PARIS, Aug. 28.-By the Asso-
ciated Press.)-The impression in Of
fetal circles today after reading Bel
GUMS reply to the recent British
reparation note is that the field is
now clear for a new start toward
negotiating u settlement of the prob
lens between the allies.
Each of the most interested pow
ers has stated it's attitude clearly,
and the difference between them In
actual money figures is regarded as
not so great as to preclude an agree
ment when their statesmen take an
opportunity to talk the situation
over.
The question now is as to who
will make the first move toward
such conversations. The British
prime minister, Stanley Baldwin, is
looked upon here as the one from
who mthe initiative would most
properly come, since he has the best
occasion to take the step before
leaving France, where he is spending
short vacation.
He is expected to call on Premier
Poincare at any event while passing
through Paris for London, and it
pointed out that he could find no
better opportunity for a heart-to-
heart talk with the French premier
Belgium Defends Claims
The Belgian government, in it's re-
ply to the British note, stands with
France on principal points, main
tanning that the legality of the
Ruhr occupation has~been establish
ed by the previous action of the al
lies, including Great Britain, and
that evacuation of the Ruhr valley
is impossible on simple. promises
from Germany.
The reply, given out 81 the Bel
gian embassy here this morning,
dwells particularly upon the justice
of Belgium's claim to priority in. rep
aration payments. 1t points put that
thus far Belgium has received only
two million gold marks more than
Great Britain.
Foreign Minister Jaspar asserts
that the whole problem of repara-
tons and the question of inter-allied
debts are definitely bound together
and he proposes a new method of
procedure in the negotiations, sug-
, costing conversations among the al
lies without reverting to the old
system of conferences"
| M. Jaspar remarks that if reduc-
ton in Germany's debt is necessary,
! the balance she is obliged to pay
ought to apply to material damages
only This might be understood as
meaning the elimination of pensions
from the allied claims on Germany,
! thus reducing the British share to
an inf1nitesimal percentage.
The Ruhr regime, the note says,
| is what the Germans have required
it to be by their violence and resist
ance. 1t was intended to be an eco
nOmic operation and a simple seiz-
ure of the pledges which the allies
had a right to take under the treaty
of Versailles. If the military feature
! of the occupation has been neces-
sarily extended, the note continues,
the Germans alone are responsible.
| The occupation will ."be modified
! whenever the German people aban"
don their present attitude.
Recognized by Wilson
Six of the twenty-five pages in the
document are devoted to a discussion
| of Belgian priority in reparation pay
ments. They answer in detail the
implication in the British communi-
cation that Belgium has been unduly
| favored, since the other allies have
made sacrifices while her priority
has remained.
Belgian priority in reparations,
asserts the note, "was recognized in
! the seventh of President Wilson's
| fourteen points. 1t was recognized
by the British government in the
| solemn document giving Belgium
| formal assurance that she would re-
ceive, after the war, integral repara-
ton for the immense damage in
7 flicted upon her solely because she
remained faithful to her engagement
with the powers that guaranteed her
neutrality"
In spite of her priority claims, M.
Jaspar points out, Belgium has re-
ceived in cash and kind only a little
more than Great Britain or France.
He then gives the exact figures in
gold marks as follows:
Great Britain, 1927 100000; France,
LIS, 100000; Belgium, 1929, 100000;
the other allies, 100000.
Material Damage Claims
NJ. Jaspar lays down the principle
that if the German debt is reduced
the percentages of the allied shares
must be revised. He contends that
the balance due from Germany must
apply only to material damage done
by her during the war, that is, the
destruction of property in Belgium
and France, shipping losses at sea
and damages from air raids in Eng
land.
He says that although the material
damage is perhaps less than the 1872
600, 100000 gold marks now consid-
cred as due from Germany, it is
considerably more than the sums
mentioned by certain of the allies
as the total Germany can pay.
The note agrees that the negotla-
tions thus far show that Germany's
debt can be. considerably reduced.
The question, he asserts, is how it
can best be done with justice to all
the allies.
In conclusion the Belgian foreign
minister declares that so long as
the security of the countries which
suffered from invasion is not as
sured. there can be neither a real
and endurable peace. nor reduc-
ton in armament.
NM r. n:L~ r-44I