Evening star., 1924-06-18
IN TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS

haolcallsm or yesterday easily be-
comes conservatism of today when
the ultra-radical assumes RESPONSE
bility. So appear the policies by Pre-
mier Herriot. the new head of the
French government, as expressed in
his opening speech before the As
sembly. In substance. he practically
indorses the policies of former Pre-
mier Poincare in regard to German
reparations and the determination of
France to take every step possible to
maintain her national security first
and to collect full reparations"
second.
This is not the policy of any party
in Erancc-it is the settled determi-
nation OF pam France-and therein.
declare American observers. will the
ultimate peace of Europe lie.
France makes no claim whatever
cost of waging her war of defense.
All such was openly disavOwed by
Premier Poincare (the war presidenD
in a speech in November. 1928. when
he called attention to articles 231 and
232 of the treaty of Versailles, which
formally released Germany from re-
imbursing the war expenses of the
allies. All that France demands is
repRrations of damages to property
and persons by the invading armies
many to pay France 10000, 600 900
gold marks before My /, 1921. Ger
many has not paid one farthing on
the reparations account of any coun-
Try. what payments she his made
have been insufficient even to cover
the costs of the armies of occupation
including nothing to the account
of the American army of occupation.
In consequence of Germany's de-
fault, conferences o: the allies and
of Germany were held in London in
April, 1921, at which it was agreed
that the repsrations debt should be
fixed at 10000. 100000 gold marks
all to be paid before 1sS0-whieh
terms were reported to the repara-
tions commission as the plan of the
allies But even this sum was
whitfield down" since the amount
was TO be expressed in three kinds OF
bonds, all of which bore rate Of in
terest so low that they were not mar
to 50 900, 900, 900 gold marks. was not
TO be issued 1T once. but at an in
definite future date, hence II could
not be sold at all. and, however unof-
ticially. il is whispered by members
of the Dawes commission that il may
be. generally under! TODD that if Ger
many pays the other two bonds, to-
falling 10000. 10000 gold marks. the
S2,00U.OO0,O00 represented by bond
c never will be required. The Dawes
will aggregate only SO. 600. 900 900 gold
marks by l95o-which appears sig
niiiCant in connection with the hint
that all figures seem 10 point to th..
same total. 50.00e.0eo 600" although
the Dawes commission had no power
10 so fix any total
Now comes the announcement from
Premier Herriot that France accepts
the Dawes plan. but will require
Germany to pay the full amount of
repara tions"-whieh is interpreted to
mean the amount agreed upon in
the London conference of l921-l32
billion gold marks. Premier II srriot
warns Germany that the Radicals of
France are not fools. AS an indica-
ti"n of the governments intent to
remain unyielding, he selects for
minister of war Gen. Nollet. the most
vigorous anti-German soldier in
France.
Former Premier Poincare. writing
for the American press. commends
the new administration for its firm
toreisH poii'N' anu pNpin''" N""' ~
change Of ministries by the As
sembly is not due to any differences
in the attitude toward Germany. but
wholly to two main domestic issues
-hinging on the necessity of balanc-
ing the budget by cutting down eN-
pensrs through simplifying the
bureaucracy by abolishing unneces-
sary offices. and through increasing
tax rates rather than borrowing
money to meet expenses. The char
acteristic of the average Frenchman
is that he finds. no fault with lending
money TO his government, but he does
object to paying taxes.
The fPoincare announcement OF
policy of administrative economy
frightened thousands of bureaucrats
all over France. and as no speclhc
plan was announced prior to election.
each official feared that his own job