New Britain herald., 1924-12-30
CLEMENTEL' PLAN
 IS FRANCES STAND
His Idea for Pooling Debts Un-
 doubtedly Official
uy Tho Associated press.

Paris, Dec, S0.--finance Minister Clementol's suggestion Of pooling the lrteralIied war debts made in his alance sheet of Frances financial issued last Sal turday, Is re- sarded iD the highest banking cis- clee as actually representing the sen timent of the French government us well as of French finance.
 The minister was found, it was re- ! marked, to avoid for diplomatic req sons being drawn into a categorical { statement to that effect, Hence hs declaration in Chamber of Deputies iast night in which he argued pro and con on the ways of setting the lhterlllied debt question, Inquiry among iinanciers and among public men closest 10 the cabinet, howeter. indicates that the French generally believe that the whole post war finaCial settlement. should be rcy ieed
 This claim to new deal Is based on the fact they point out, that the treaty Of Versailles has been revised 10 French detriment; that largely through the influence Of their prin- cipal creditors. Great Britain and the United States, they have made con cession after concession until there Is little left Of their claims on Ger many, they Insist, while their war debtors show little disposition to ! pay and their war creditors demand fuH payment.
 Of tho 15.OOO, O,O00,O0O francs, gold, owing to France for advances made during the war, the government counts on collecting nothing, Italy contests part of the claim against her and eays she ought not to be l called upon to pay any part Of it.. Rumania has shown the greatest Sensitiveness when suggestions were made that she let it be known how 1 she thought the matter of her debt ought to be adjusted, France has made no luove with reference to Bel gium's 3.o00.000, franc debt, while the 6,O0O.O0o,OO0 francs owed by Russia have been theoretically written off as uncollectible
 As for Germany, it Is pointed out that she escapes not only the pay ment of French pensions, but ac- cordins to the most liberal estimates possible will never pay more than half the material damage France sustained
 These are the reasons given for desiring Q new liquidation of the wartime financial operations.
 The French financiers and public resent sharply the suggestions that such proposals are a cover for re- pudiation. They recall that Ger many after what they characterize as the most formidable repudiatior the world has ever known, was re- warded by a reduction of her wal debts and with q loan to put heI economics on q sound basis again.
 The radical and socialist leaders ir the chamber. of deputies take thi, view, Leon Blum, leader of the 60
 cialists, solicited and obtained iron , Clemente the promise that he would
 bring up before the finance minis
 ters conference next month the ques ton of a revised liquidation of tho
 debts and a revision of the percent
 ages of reparation payment distribu
 ton fixed at Spa,
 It is urged in official circles tha in winding up the affairs Of the wa France alone has been asked tc make the concession thought to b'
 necessary 10 unravel the great tinan
 cal and economic tangle. Franc
 abandoned her claim to repaymen
 for war pensions, but Great Britain thus far. 1t is recalled, demands tn payment of her full percentage o , reparation receipts, which Is mad
 up altogether of pension claims. , NJ. Clomentel pointed out in hi
 speech last night that France fo , sentimental reasons had decided f
 accept the American demand fo , participation in the Dawes plan an , nuitics to pay the American Wa I damage claims, although as powe that had failed to ratify the treat I of Versailles the United States coul V not legally sustain such a demand & Sentiment, he added ought To com '. into play on both sides of the queS . tton.
 If the whole settlement is to |
 made on d business basis, it is al
 gued, then the principal creditors ( } France cannot ask France to torgtN
 her debtors unless they are willing
 reciprocate.
 There exists a strong belief nov n despite the silence of '. Clemente * that the subject of the interallie a debts and revision of the percentag' A of reparation distribution will con 2 up at the meeting of the fnanc 4 ministers with James A. Logan. il a American representative with. Il A rpparation commission, next wee g The discussion will be merely tel q tative one, as the finance ministt
 promised the chamber that no de