The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-08-17
SEVEN POWERS
 SIGN PROTOCOL
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 congratulations. Then Macdonald re- convened the meeting and the ceremony of signing the protocol and its four an. nexes began. With the signing com pleted at 8 :50 o'clock, the delegates rushed for their hats and coats aud poured out of the foreign office, tired but happy over the outcome of their labors.
 Preceding the plenary session, there was full meeting of the allies. This lasted an hour. At z :45 o'clock the Germans joined the session, which pro- eeeded to prepare for the signing of the documents.
 Viewed as a symbol of peace return ing to Europe, the ceremony attracted large crowds of Londoners to Down ing street, where they thronged the narrow Cul de Sac and watched the delegates alight from their 25 automo- piles.
 Earlier in the day the French, Bel gians and Germans had exchanged let ters which embodied final details of the plan for evacuation of the Ruhr. The French promise to retire from the occupied area within a year from the signing of the protocols, or on August Is, 1925. The French and Belgians also promised to hasten the evacua- tion of certain specified areas.
 Last Obstacle Removed
 When the German delegation gave their final assent to the French and Belgian terms for quitting the Ruhr, the last step was taken to assure the success of the London deliberations. The protocols must be ratified by the | m II nf A1a T but with the prospect of a European settlement so near it is not believed dometsic politics will be allowed to de- stroy all the labors of London
 When the agreement on the Ruhr was reached, the machinery for the set clement of the separations problem. and the beginning of payments by Germany was completed. A problem which has harassed Europe ever since the war ap- parently has been solved.
 After the Germans had decided last night to accept Premier Herriot's pro- posal on the Ruhr, Herriot, Chancellor Marx and Foreign Minister Stresemann met this morning to discuss details of the agreements. With this accom- plished, arrangements were made for a meeting of the 'big fourteen" which includes two representatives from each of the powers. This meeting smoothed out details concerning the German de- livery of separations and merchandise. Then the allies, meeting alone, scruti- nized terms and all was ready for the plenary session that would give the documents their final approval.
 Dye Stuff Issue Settled
 Earlier in the day, the French, Bel gians and Germans met and settled their conflicting views on the German delivery of dye-stuffs, which was the last outstanding difficulty. After this meeting. Marx told Herriot that he could net guarantee that the Reichstag would ratifyl the London protocols, but gave his pledge that if they were not ratified he would dissolve the Reichstag and order a new election with the Dawes program as the sole issue.
 Meanwhile, an interchange of letters was arranged among the French, Bel gians and Germans, clarifying their Belgians, in a letter to Marx, denied that the Ruhr occupation was illegal, contrary to the German contention. In reply, Marx said he was not con eerned with the legality of the occupa- ton, but maintained that it was against the will of the German people.
 T cannot say yes or no with regard to the legality of the occupation, " Marx wrote, but only note your pledge to evacuate within a year.
 To EVacuate Dortmund
 The Belgian delegation addressed a letter to the Germans promising to evacuate Dortmund and other regions outside the Ruhr within twenty-four hours after the German, French and Belgian parliaments have ratified the protocols. As the notifications are sup posed to be effected in fifteen days after the agreements are signed, this phase of the evacuation would take place the first part of September.
 Almost until the time when the final signatures were appended, the Ger mans struggled desperately for further concessions. Most of tLeir requests were rejected, but they did succeed in escaping a commercial treaty with France, by which that country hoped to assure that Germany would erect no tariff barriers against French products.
 WASHINGTON PTEASEn