Evening star., 1924-08-12
Marx Holding Out for Janu-
ary !, But Two Peace Pre-
miers Near Agreement.
CORDIALITY REPLACING
THREATS OF NATIONS
Three Socialist Leaders, All Hating
War, Pave Way to Last.
ing Truce.
BY HAL O'FLAHERTY.

by Cable TO The Star and Chicago Daily
News. Copyright, 1924.
LONDON, August 12.-The final
stages of the allied conference on
reparations find France once more
laying the basis for peaceful rela-
tions with her historic enemy, Ger
many.
Premier Herriot, during informal
conversations with Chancellor Marx,
has proposed withdrawing troops
from the Ruhr area not later than
September. 1925, each step of the
withdrawal being determined by
Germany's fulfilling successive stages
of the Dawes scheme as regards pay
ments Of money and deliveries in
kind
Marx Firm for Peace.
Herr Marx holds that as the Dawes
scheme presupposes complete unity of
the Reich, Germany cannot fulfill it's
provisions unless Franco gian
troops disappear from the Industrial
area by January next.
There is a new field for compromise
between the two formulas. a few
months being offered by each side in
return for concessions designed to
cCHtiildIe oplHioll III Z di 10
or Berlin. In their efforts to close the
deal, Herriot and Marx are receiv-
ing invaluable aid from every quarter.
Those Belgian masters of concilia-
ton, Premier Theunis and Foreign
Minister Hymans. WELD with expert
ness their enormous knowledge of
Germany's internal politics and eco
nomics. guiding with deft sugges-
tions the parleys that change hourly
from the French headquarters at the
Hyde Park Hotel, back of the Carl
ton. and then to the West End Club,
where Ramsay Macdonald hurriedly
arrives from number 10 Downing
street. using his unusual powers of
friendly argument, sometimes for
the Germans viewpoint, but largely
in behalf of F'rech idea.
Masters Hate War.
Herriot, Macdonald and Marx con-
stitute the greatest triumvirate of
modern socialism. They hate war
and idealize peace. They attach the
highest possible value to agreement
by arbitration and conciliation. Her.
riot, like Marx. waged a successful
battle against Nationalists at home,
while Macdonald won a victory
against British conservatism.
With such minds as these centered
on the problem of utmost Importance
to Europe and the world. 1t Is only
natural to suppose that an amicable
settlement is now matter of only
a few hours. Good will has prevailed.
although it has taken several days
for the German representatives fully
to appreciate their situation and to
grasp the fact that Macdonald not
only wanted them to come together
l with the French and Belgian pre-
Amiers, but was willing to place at
their disposal every facility of his
home. his clubs and those of his
friends.
Need Commercial Treaty.
While the premiers were meeting
today, French and German financial
experts decided on a detailed COM
mercial treaty. Soon after the Dawes
scheme becomes effective Germany
will again control her customs bar
riers. with powers of 1evying upon
materials passing into or out of her
territory. Terms must be arranged
for passing iron ore from AlSace
across into German Industrial areas
Some form of treaty embodying new
regulations will be drawn up, but it
is unlikely that anything further will
be done at the moment, actual sign
ing being delayed until later this
year, when an economic conference
will be held in Paris.
Throughout the discussions occur
ring at the conference Americas rep
resentatives have played an invalua-
BILE role, Offering new ideas at every
critical moment and announcing
American participation wherever the
opportunity afforded.