Evening star., 1924-12-05
BALDWIN TO CALL
,S.FOR DATA IN
FRENCH DEBT CASE
Courteous, Informal Inquiry
as to Settlement Action
Expected in London.
PRESS is AGITATED
BY PARLEY REPORTS
Scrutiny of Terms Advocated In
Interest of Getting Same Pay
ment Standard.
Ey the Associated Press.

Ey the Associated Press.
LONDON, December 5.-The British
government, it was stated in official
quarters today, is expected TO au-
dress q note to the American ana
French governments in the course
al the next few days, requesting
those governments to inform Great
britain what steps have been taken
or are anticipated in settling the
French war debt to the United States.
such inquiries, it was stated, were
natural after the recent statements
made both in France and in the
United States regarding preliminary
negotiations to such settlemet, as
Great Britain not only was unin-
formed of such steps, but never has
been approached on the subject of
any settlement of the French war
debts to the British government.
Frances debts to Great Britain
amount to 1923. 900, 900, compared with
1913, 900 owed by France to the
United States. 1t is pointed out that
Great Britain has right to expect
seeing the sums are almost identical
and We're obtained for the same
cause, that the British government
receive the same treatment from
France as any other nation in this
tangled problem of interallied debts.
Sees Ministry Bound.
The British financial ministry is
necessarily bound to follow public
opinion largely in the matter of debts,
II is stated. and Great Britain's ac
tiOns in this particular case are
guided by what the man in the street
thinks and wants.
The idea that the United States
might agree to fund the French debt
on more favorable terms than the
British continues to aEitate a section
OF the press, which is making front
page feature of it.
The British government is address
ing inquiries Of a most courteous.
but more than informal character" in
Washington through diplomatic chan
uels, according to the Daily Tele-
graph, with view to eliciting infor-
nation of the American Governments
intention regarding the funding of
Frances obligations.
Assume Terms Same.
But, the writer adds, unless and un-
I'll it is made clear that Washington
Is prepared to grant France easier
terms than are contained in the Brit
ish agreement without amending that
agreement correspondingly, British
official circles will continue to as
sumo the contrary.
Winston Spencer Churchill, as chan
Cellor of the exchequer. has examined
The position thoroughly, according to
the Daily Express, and will shortly sub
init a full statement on the debts ques-
tion to the cabinet. He will also raise
the question when he visits Paris in
January.
While it is everywhere admitted
that the United States is under no
sort of obligation to amend the Brit
ish terms in any case, there is mani
fest expectation that, If France is ac-
corded better treatment, Great Brit
ain will be similarly considered.
There is also growing insistence
that. if France should pay the United
States she must also pay Great
Britain. Any other course, says the
Daily Express, would be unthink-
able.
United States Reiterates View.
A Washington dispatch yesterday
said officials appeared to regard as
unwarranted the aprpehensions which
had arisen in London regarding any
disparity in the terms of funding the
British and French debts. 1t was
reiterated that the American Govern
ment had no intention of driving any
sharp bargains or playing one of its
debtors off against another. Its only
desire was to reach an agreement
which would be fair to every one.
1t was declared fatty by all of
those concerned in the discussions
that no promises had been made on
either side and that no concrete plan
of funding had been either presented
by France, who must take the initia-
tive, or outlined by the United States.
SURPRISE HERE MARKED.