Evening star., 1925-08-17
DEBT SETTLEMENT
BY TOMORROW IS
SEEN BY COOLIDGE
Issues Statement After Con-
ference With Mellon and
Smoot at Plymouth.
DENIES BELGIAN PARLEY
HAS REACHED DEADLOCK
Chief Executive Spends Free Week
End, But Heavy Tasks
Begin Today.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PLYMOUTH, VT. August lI.-Presl-
dent Coolidge expects an agreement to
be reached, probably tomorrow, on
terms for refunding Belgium's debt to
the United States.
An official statement issued after
the President had discussed the stu
alton for two hours today with Secre-
tary Mellon and Senator Smoot Of
Utah said final agreement" was in
sight and that no deadlock had de-
veloped.
The Treasury Secretary and Sen
ator Smoot. both members of the
American debt commission, came here
to give the executive tirst-hand infor-
nation as to the negotiations, tempo
rarily suspended, between the Belgian
and American commissions in Wash
ington.
The following statement in the
Presidents handwriting was given to
newspaper men at noon:
Secretary Mellon and Senator
Smoot have reported to the President
the details of the Washington con
ference. The progress is satisfactory.
No deadlock has developed. The Sec
retary and Senator came to inform
the President of the proposal before
conference will reconvene at pm.
Tuesday, when il is expected IA final
agreement may be reached, after
which a full and complete statement
will be given to the press by the
American commission"
Neither they nor the President
would go beyond the statement is
sued to the press and the probable
terms of the agreement were not dis
closed.
Bring Mass of Data.
Secretary Mellon and Senator Smoot
reached here shortly before 10 am.
and Immediately went into conference
with the President. Both Secretary
Mellon and Senator Smooth carried
portfolios containing a mass of data
on the negotiations here.
President Coolidge was waiting for
his visitors on the front popch-~xhich
had been screened off by sheets to af
ford seclusion. The sheets which shut
the porch off completely from view of
the road had been placed in position
by the President and Mrs. Coolidge,
aided by two deputy sheriffs on duty
here. Spliced together, one end was
tied to a porch pillar, While the other
was fastened to a nearby tree.
Secretary Mellon and Mr.. Smoot
planned to return to Washington
later in the day.
Nothing official has been learned
here as to what terms Belgium is will
ing to accept for refunding the $780,
600 900. It is believed, however. that
the main points at issue were the
interest rates and the schedule of
payments.
Washington advices indicate that if
the negotiations were to be carried to
a successful conclusion. there must
be a material yielding by the Begians.
Dispatches from Brussels said that
should the negotiations fall through
the question of submitting the en-
tire debt problem to arbitration would
be raised in the Belgian Parliament.
The idea of calling an inter-allied
debt conference, the dispatches stated,
was gaining ground, and it was OBJ
served that King Albert might pro
duce a profound effect by revealing
the details of his airplane visit to
Paris while President Wilson was de-
liberating with the allies on the debt
question.
Presidents Week End Free
The President turned his attention
to international affairs today after a
week end free from the cares of Of
flee. Yesterday, before attending serv-
Ices in a little church across the road
II Jill lis lclllI4ly ilOilit, lie LOOK ii rue
through the hills in a Ford touring
car with three secret service men.
After bouncing around on the wind
ing trail, with the going becoming in
creasingly difficult, Mr. Coolidge and
his companions left the automobile
and set out on a hike to the summit
of Messerhill DiscardinS his coat and
donning in it's stead Il blue denim
smock, which he finally took off be-
cause of the heat, the President set a
fast pace up and down hill, through
underbrush and across streams.
Finally gaining the top of the hill
which he used to scale as a youth,
he paused for few moments to sur
Vey the valleys below gazed off at
the White Mountains in the distance,
then, with unchecked pace. followed
a devious route to the automobile for
a bumpy ride home
The secret service men, who admit
ted they had gone through a grueling
workout, were reminded by it of the
days when they accompanied Theo-
dore Roosevelt, a fast pace setter, on
hikes in Rock Greek Park in Wash
tngton.
BELGIAN PRESS RITTER