Evening star., 1924-04-19
Fears Macdonald Will Dis
agree With Paris on Guar
antees Asked of Germany.
RUHR RELEASE is SEEN
ONLY AFTER AGREEMENT
French Press Demands Concerted
Allied Action Before Sur
rendering Present Grip.
BY the Associa ted Press

A1Nlfo, April lS.-trenCn OflclaI
circles are considerably disturbed by
the attitude of the British press to-
ward the proposed reparation settle
ment on the basis of the experts re-
port. 1t is deduced from the general
run of the British comment that
Prime Minister Macdonald will re-
fuse to agree with France on a sys-
tenn Of pledges to be taken in case
Germany defaults in the execution of
the experts plan.
without an agreement in advance
on the ways and means of obliging
the Germans to carry out the terms
of the arrangement" said a spokes-
man for the foreign Office today, Ger
many would be the only country sure
of getting any benefit from the ex-
perts project"
There was TO use, he added, in ask
ing France, the most Interested cred
itor OF Germany, 10 give up a sure
thing, no matter how small. for so
uncertain an eventuality as Ger
manys paying reparations without
being Obliged TO do so.
Wants Guarantees.
The French government, 1t was ex-
planned, is heartily in favor Of the
experts plan, although it realizes
that all the initial benefit is for Ger
many. All France wants in exchange
for the acceptance OF the plan, il
VAS declared, is the assurance that
France will get some benefit later.
Germany it Is held here, remains un-
converted and indispoSed to pay any
thing she is not forced to pav
Hence, II Is argued, the absence OF
an arrangement by which penalties
would be applied automatically in
case OF default would make a settlc-
ment under the experts plan in
effective.
France will give up none of tho
means of pressure on Germany which
She now possesses unless the aIlici
agree to replace them by prearranged
concerted action between them, fixed
in advance and: to apply automati-
cally in case of q new default by
GERMANY, says lie Matin, which OF
late has been particularly well in
formed regarding Premier Poincare'.
Intentions
France Fixes Total Sought.
The French government, moreove~.
according to the newspaper, will not
consider the reparation question
settled until France is assured OF
26,0o0,00o,000 gold marks. plus such
amounts as she may be called upon
to pay on her interallied war debts
lie Martin adds that the British
point of view is still in contradic-
tion with the attitude of the French
government and that negotiations
will be necessary before the sugges-
tionS made by the expert reparations
committees can become effective
The British, according to the news
paper, insist that the question Of
the eventual pledges to be taken in
case of a new default by German.
should come up only after such de,
fault has been duly brought to the
allies notice by the reparation com
mission.
The paper says this does not sat
isfy M. Poincare, who does not intent
to give up the hold he now has on
Germany until sure that II Will be re
placed by one equally effective.
United States Experts Satisfied.
A feeling of great satisfaction wa
voiced by American members of the
committees of experts, which re
Gently reported on the financial and
economic situation in Germany oveI
the fact that the reparation commits
sion had decided to proceed with the
work preliminary to making effective
the conclusions of the experts The
predicted that there now is clear
sailing ahead.
The only fly in the ointment, it was
said, was the approaching German
elections and a possible return OF
members of the Reichstag who are
opposed to the provisions of the eX-
perts' reports. The experts who in
yestigated Germany's situation in
Berlin are convinced that the present
Reich government is most willing to
put the entire report into operation
and force the present Reichstag TO
ratify it, but they appear doubtful
If the new Reichstag is formed as
the present prospects indicate, it Will
be equally as docile as they believe
the recently dissolved legislative
body would have been
Regard Loans Assured.
The American experts have come to
the conclusion that there will be no
trouble in floating in the United States
the proposed 500, 900. 900 loan, a loan
of SIS 100000 on the London market,
with continental Europe absorbing an
other s25, 100000, provided" as one OF
the Americans put it today, they don't
get the loan fotationS mixed up with
politics"
The Americans take it for granted
that Great Britain will not make any
commitments to France regarding pos
to be in "wilfull default" but they en-
press confidence that If such default
occurs it will be so obvious that tho
whole world will be ranged on the side
of the suffering allied creditors.
The experts do not expect much real
French resistance to the plan for the
transfer committee" to handle repa-
ration payments from Germany, trans
ferring the German currency into for
eign currency.
There has been some newspaper
reaction on this point, growing out of
a fear that France might be outvoted
among the committee members. But,
as the hard headed Americans point
out, if funds are not there to be trans
ferred, owing to general economic de-
preston, no amount of voting in com
mittee can change the situation.
Americans Reject Post.
Suggestions that either Brig. Gen.
Dawes, Owen D. Young or Henry NJ.
Robinson, the American experts,
should be appointed chairman of tho
transfer committee, because of his
familiarity with the plans OF the ex-
perts, has been laughingly but firmly
turned down by their spokesman. The
suggestions originated in British cir
cles. They met with q characteristic
mo, siree," from Gen. Dawes. Mr..
Young is said to have replied that he
had a good job OF his own at present
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