Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-07-30
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London, July 29.-(By A. P)-
For the first time since the inter-
allied conference assembled the
French delegates tonight indicated
willingness to surrender. under GER
tain conditions, their right 20 sep
arate action against Germany in case
of a reparations default under the
Dawes plan.
If the allies cannot unanimously
agree whether a fragrant default has
occurred, France is willing to let an
arbitration board, on which there
will be experts of the original
Dawes commission. decide the ques-
ton.
One condition is that German
payments in goods be linked with
the question of defaults, and that
France acquire new rights relat-
ing to payments in kind which are
outside the present reading of the
Versailles treaty.
These and other conditions the
French experts tonight are embody-
ing into a proposal which they hope
Will Gnu llt tSll udNS
deadlock. Since yesterdays pro-
cecdings. which were featured by
the timely Intervention of Colonel
James A. Logan. the American OBJ
server. which the delegates today
characterized as having saved the
conference from possible breakdown.
the French delegation has been
working to coordinate Colonel Lo-
cams suggestions with ideas of their
own in an effort to produce a form
ula which will solve the problem OF
how default under the Dawes plan
is to be declared and what penalties
the allies intend to inflict therefor,
and, at the same time, satisfy the in
ternational bankers who will be
asked to recommend a 40OO0,0OO
pounds sterling loan to investors in
order to launch the Dawes project.
Whether. these new French pro-
posals, in which there will be de-
parture from the unyielding stand
on separate action, will be accept
able to the other delegates cannot
be fully determined until the draft
is laid before the experts. But the
American observers, who have an
intimation of the conditions France
expected to impose in view of her
sui NHdVi VI lti JedlOuSlN GUARDED
theoretic right to act as she deems
necessary If Germany does not live
up to the Dawes plan. are not over
hopeful that solution has been
found.
When the experts hurriedly adjourn
cd yesterday after Colonel Logan had
Gained the heated Anglo French debate
the French asked "a hours to perfect
new proposals. But tonight these pro-
posals still were in process of draft
ing and the conference remained at a
standstill. The meeting of the experts
considering this particular problem
again has been postponed from $50
O'Clock tomorrow morning and will not
be convened until the French indicate
that their plan has been completed.
Meanwhile the other committees have
been unable to make much progress.
Tor an agreement on defaults and
sanctions is the cornerstone upon
which the success of the London con-
ference must be built.
In the present stages Of this dead
locked conference the American atti-
tude seems veering toward that of
France instead of that of Great Bril-
tain. Colonel Logan's proposal of yes
terday was followed by an expression
of grateful appreciation on the part of
the French delegates today, but the
American suggestion that the repara-
ton commission be called into the act
ual proceedings in the present nego-
tiations reused immediate objection
from the British.
1t was the first time that Great Bril-
tain definitely had to refuse to fall in
line with suggestions for possible
way out of the difficulty. As soon as
the experts took up consideration of
Colonel Losan's proposal. Philip Snow
den, Great Britain. said the British
view was that the American sugges-
ton meant the unloading of one of the
most important tasks of the London
conference upon the shoulders of the
reparation commission and involved
that body in a political question. Great
Britain. Mr.. Snowden declared, could
not agre to this. for she always had
taken the stand that the reparation
commission should not participate in
political negotiations.