Evening star., 1924-04-07
PROPOSE TO FORCE
GERMAN REPLY ON
REPORT AT ONCE
Preparations Body Wants An
sWer Before Approach
ing Other Powers.
REFUSAL FROM BERLIN
MIGHT NULLIFY SCHEME
French Meanwhile Press for Tenn
porary Renewal of Agree
ments in Ruhr.
by PAUL SCOTT MOWRER.

Ry Radio to The Star and the Chicago Daily
News. Copyright, 1924.
PARIS April THE present inten-
ton of the reparations commission,
when it receives the experts report
on Wednesday, seems to be to begin
by asking Germany whether it ac-
repts the report as a basis for nego-
tiations. Thus Germany would be
required to answer before France,
Britain or the other allies were re-
uuired to state their attitude, and the
German maneuver tending to delay
discussion until after the German
elections might be frustrated.
In any case. it is felt here that it is
useless for France and Britain TO
open negotiations until the German
viewpoint has been explained, TOT
even if France and Britain reacheu
an agreement on the basis of the eN-
perts' report, this agreement might
be nullified by German refusai.
Opposition in Britain.
Opposition to the report in a small
political and financial group center
ing around the British treasury con-
tinues to find voice in the British press
This group now declares that either
France must evacuate the Ruhr and
promise to make no more separate
seizures of territory, and must fund
the British debt, or the British banks
will refuse to cooperate In raising
funds and distributing bonds as pro-
vided in the experts plan.
The French, meanwhile. are press
ing the German industrials hard for
temporary renewal of the Mlcum
agreements, most of which expire
April Is. The German government
refuses to allow renewal on the
grounds that it must first consider
the experts report, and the German
industrials are reluctant TO renew
them because they say they are los
ing money under them.
May Close Frontier.
The French reply that discussion Oh
the experts report may take montns
and they intend to insure payments
from the Ruhr and Rhineland during
this period, whatever ultimate agree
ment may be reached. If the Germans
refuse renewal France intends to lock
out the industrials and close the Ruhr
frontier.
Under these conditions, it is believed
here that the German industrials Will
be obliged to renew the agreements,
whether the German government
agrees or not. If the German govern,
ment continues opposition to renewal
France will continue to refuse to al
low the new German fiscal DEGREES to
be applied to the occupied regions.
Purpose of French.
What the French are aiming at
really is a Franco-German agreement
whereby, Independently of all gov
ernmental agreements, French iron
ore will be exchanged henceforward
Indefinitely for German coke.
Important secret negotiations to
this end took place, it is reported,
between French and German indus
trials last month, but the tentative
agreement reached remained in sus-
pense. Another problem which is
preoccupying the French is the ne
cessity this year of negotiating with
Germany a regular commercial treaty.
The commercial restrictions imposed
upon Germany by the treaty of YER
sailles in favor of the allied nations
will expire in 1925.
ASKS LIEN ON INDUSTRY.