Evening star., 1925-01-09
Decisions of Moment Cabled
for O. X. Before Further
Action in Paris.
SECRECY OF NEGOTIATION
CAUSES STIR IN FRANCE
Conference Delayed While Home
Governments Consider Reports
of Delegations.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press. |
PARIS, January 9.-The principal
problems connected with the division
of German reparation payments
which the finance ministers and dip
lomatic representatives of the allied and
associated powers came here to solve
today are apparently in the hands of the
various governments for solution.
Winston Churchill, British chan
cellor of the exchequer, remained all
the morning at the British embassy
and has been in telephone communi-
cation with London. The American
delegations sent long and important
cable message to Washington, while
Finance Minister Clementel Of France
was in a lengthy and serious ccnsul-
tation with Premier Herriot.
These were the obvious develop
ments of the first day in which the
lid was supposed to have been nailed
down tight on the proceedings of
the financial conference. The inter-
probation of the suddenly expressed
desire for secrecy and the fact that
the principal delegations We're con-
sulting their governments is that
the negotiations have reached the
point where decisions or moment
must be taken.
Paris Press PessiInistic.
There is a tendency in French polit-
ical circles to attribute the silence of
the negotiators to the desire of tie
French government to keep ammuni-
tion from the opposition press. The
fact that 1t was NJ. Clementel who
asked for secrecy is much commented
upon and is construed by the opposi-
ton as meaning the French are once
more on the point of giving way OH
some of the leading questions in con-
f1ict.
Prominent delegates declined today
to indicate what the program was for
the immediate doing of the conferees
This increased the mystery surround
ing the negotiations and accentuated
the note of pessimism which has de-
veloped in political circles despite the
optimistic notes given out yesterday
by the heads of the delegations.
Expectations are that the inter
allied financial conference will close
by next Wednesday.
The Anglo-American negotiations
continue to make headway. many
questions of detail already being
settled.
OF those remaining, the principal is
understood to be whether extension
of the time of the Wadsworth agree
ment for repayment of the American
occupational Army costs should be to
"a years or to a longer period, even
up to 40 years. 1t is hoped that this
and the other points will be settled
by tonight.
Difficulty Lessened.
Indeed, the Anglo-American con-
troversy over the right of the United
States to share in the Dawes plan
annuities, which was at first regarded
as the principal obstacle, now is
placed as third in order of difficulty
among the questions on the program.
First comes that of Belgium's per-
centage of receipts from Germany
This is particularly delicate because
it raises the whole question of the
disposal of the Dawes plan proceeds.
Second comes the question of divid-
ing the receipts from the Ruhr oc-
cupation. This is of such complexity
that it is possible that it may be
postponed as proper examination of
the books will, it is believed, require
months.
The American claims come third,
the costs of the occupation, fourth;
the recovery of amounts collected in
excess of claims. fifth; the Belgian
war debt, sixth, and restitution of in
moved from the occupied region by
Germany, seventh.
Plenary Session Monday.
Experts are ready to put into
proper form the agreements reached
by the principal delegates so they can
be dealt with at the plenary confer
ence on Monday with the greatest
possible expedition.
AS to the question of interallied
debts which loomed so large at the
beginning of the week, although ex-
traneous to the conference, the ex-
changes of views thus far have con-
vinced the delegates of the principally
interested powers that the question is
neither ripe nor suitable for treat
ment at a general conference.
The growing hope Of the present
meeting is that, by friendly settle
ment of the financial problems which
form its agenda, will be created favor
able atmosphere, for discussion of the
larger issue of interallied debts.
The process Of conducting the con-
ference by conversations between the
various units composing it continued
actively today. The British and Bel
gian delegations were in communica-
tion during the morning, and 1T was
announced that Premier Theunis of
Belgium would confer with Finance
Minister Clementel of France and
winston Churchill, British chancellor
of the exchequer, this afternoon. The
French delegation spent a good part
of the morning comforting with Pre-
mier Herriot at his residence, where
he is still confln ed to his room con-
yaIescinr from his recent illness