Evening star., 1924-07-20
CONFEREES MOVE
SLOWLY IN PARLEY
Conflicts Between Continen.
tai and British Viewpoints
Hard to Reconcile.
BY ANDRE TARDIEU.

| BY Cable to The Star.
PARIS. July 19-The London con-
ference having decided there is no
hurry, the press is obliged to do the
same. The weeks meetings do not
permit judging the possible results.
1t is only possible to notice the ten
denotes, some dating far back while
| others are newer.
The writer will call attention first
| to the European tendencies or, If it
| is preferred, to the conflicts between
| the continental and the British view
points The continental viewpoint,
even under the Herriot ministry.
claims for the creditors who suffered
most from the war, that is to say.
Belgian and France, the means OF
isolated action in case measures for
collective action prove ineffectuaL
This is the origin of the Ruhr policy.
The British viewpoint affirms the
excellence of collective action and
the danger of isolated action. but the
history of the last four years shows
that Engla ID has been little disposed
From this may be seen that England,
by reproving isolated and recon-
mending collective action, is paralyz-
ing what continues to be called IRON
ically a reparations policy.
Procedure OF SubIeties.
Extreme complications in the first
kilograms from London-complica-
tions which the writer declared un
intelligible to a majority of the pub
lic-show that an attempt is being
made to solve the Fundamental dis-
cord by means of procedure of sub
Il N
default and sanctions. In reality 1t
is palmer and more honest to say that
the British government believes IN
reparations payments only 50 Tar as
the German government pays spon-
taneously. The Brussels and Paris
in believing that payments VIII be
made only when Germany is COM
PEELED to make them.
1t is here that new facts come in,
or. more precisely. the new tendency.
the bigger part which American poll
ticians appear to be disposed TO take
in the reparations business. Gen.
Dawes and his colleagues only inter
vened as experts or private persons.
Ambassador kellogg and Col. Logan
seem to be playing bigger part at
London. After visible hesitations,
Washington accepted an American to
participate in default matters on the
reparations commission, probably
with power of arbitration. Thus,
| whether France likes it or not. the
United States reappears for execu-
| ton of a treaty which she refused
| to ratify and which therefore lost
one of it's essential characteristics,
that of being a collective plan die
tated by victors to the vanQuished.
Sees Situation Unchanged.
At what moment did the change
| take place? At the time-the second
|
| when the appeal for credit which
years ago would have simplified the
| reparations problem, was planned by
| the Dawes report for Germany $
| benefit. 1t is comprehensive that
| in the experts minds the loan of
| soc, 100000 gold marks is destined to
make Interior payments possible by
| restoring Germany's economic situa-
ton. But the payments will only be
made if Germany means to pay or is
forced, which is exactly the same
situation that has been confronting
the allies for four years
Therefore, whatever the issue of
the London conference. whether it is
seem as if it would bring funda-
mental changes. Probably the same
conflicts regarding execution of the
other plan, called the Versailles
treaty. In short. what is being done
now for the mark in 1924 was done
hoping that this will give them the
possibility OF paying. In 1924, as in
1920. the fact was overlooked that
besides possibility, paying also will
be necessary.
The writer's impressions are rather
discouraging. but it is better for the
material as well as the moral
equilibrium of Europe and of the
world to hinder too great deceptions
by avoiding first two great hopes.
Copyright, 1924