, 1923-08-22
WAY LEFT OPEN
FOR CONTINUING
DISCU SS|ON Of
DEB PROGRAM
Passive Resistance in
Ruhr Must End, Repair
ations Must Be Paid,
Is Reply to British.

PARIS, Aug 22.-(By The
Associated Press
can obtain evacuation of the
Ruhr only by paying repara-
tons, she can assure attenua-
ton of the rigors of the occu-
patton by ceaslng passive resistance
and she al win no reduction In the
mount she owes France unless the
allied creditors of France SEQ fit to
give France credit for equal amounts
on her var debts.
These are the conclusions of
PREMIER Poincare's reply to Marquis
Curzon's PREPARATION note of recon
uate' The French government also
expresses Its belief hat the allies
can agree on methods of bringing
ABOUT the execution OF the treaty by
continuing courteous negotiations.
The British proposals for n re-
estimate OF Germany's capacity for
payment and Lord curzon's ugges
uon that the question OF the legality
OF the occupation OF the Ruhr be re-
terred to The Hague. are rejected
and the French position IL reafrirmed
as remaining unchanged.
France holds that n settlement OF
the question of inter-allled war debts
should wait upon final by
Germany of fifty billion gold mark,
in r~eparations comprised in tho A and
b bonds. Official opinion of the re-
ply, as set forth in tho in
English given out today ut the for.
eign office, is hat the note contains
tho elements OF n practical solution
of the ~reparations problem, but a
careful reading OF the communication
shows that in the opinion of NJ. Poin-
care the only practical solution is for
Great Britain to accept the French
thesis in every detail.
The French POSITION remains un-
changed. according to the official
summary of the report issued in Eng
lish at the foreign office prior 10
publication OF the complete text.
Premier Poincare stresses the prior
ity OF ~reparations over other war
costs as represented by the inter-
allied debts.
France never repudiated the debts
she contracted during tho war. either
to England or to America, in the in
terest of the common victory" the
note asserts.
France is also the creditor OF the
other allies for five or six billion
gold marks. tho summary con-
tinues. but there can be no doubt
but that in the minds OF those who
drafted the treaty. damages to per-
sons and property were to be granted
priority over war costs" Therefore,
asks the note. is 1t to be supposed
that such war costs. which the allies
agreed should rank after Preparations,
after pensions and after the damages
stipulated In tho treaty. and which
they do not claim for Germany, arr
now to be claimed by the allies from
each other before Germany has even
begun to pay up2"
Referring specifically to the British
demand for the payment OF fourteen
and n fifth billion gold marks. ths
summary continues:
I'VE DO not suppose that England
intends to claim the sums owing her
by the allies before r~eparations are
actually settled. She will certainly
be the first to realize that in order to
pay what she owes France must pre-
viously have recovered her con-
tributive power. a repaired her
grievous losses and must be in n post
ton to meet German competition with
equal weapons.
1T is. nc doubt. to England's inter
est that Germany shall o II
Continued on Page Four.)