The Bismarck tribune., 1925-09-24
CAILLAUX IS
ANXI0USF0R
SETTLEMENT
Stresses "HandS Across Sea"
Sentiment in Opening
Speech
DISPLAYS OPTIMISM
Urges Settlement Worthy Of
Two Great Nations to
Build Peace

Washington, Sept. 2t.-L4Y--
Documents which in effect con
stitute a French offer for set
Element of that nations $4,000
! 100000 debt to the United States
were submitted to the American
| Debt Commission today at the
first meeting between the French
and American nCgOtiatOrs.
| Although the character of the
| proposal was not made public. il
| was established that to at least
some members of the American
commission II was not acceptable
as drawn. -
Washington, D. c., Sept. 24.-LP
! Conversations looking to settle
| ment of Frances four billion dollar
debt to the United States were for
| mally begun today when members of
the French and American Debt Com
missions assembled at the treasury.
Led by the finance minister Of
France, Joseph Caillaux, the French
mission appeared at the treasury
promptly at 10 o'clock to be met
| there by Secretary Mellon, head of
the American mission, and the ac-
| tual negotiations, long rumored and
| deferred. were on.
The great conference room at the
treasury was the meeting place and
| only a brief period devoted to intro
| ductions all around was allowed be
| fore Secretary Mellon called the ses-
| sion to order.
Not Forgotten
Frances position, stated by Joseph
| CalllauX, her minister of finance.
was that his country has not forgot
ten "what we owe to America for her
| splendid work to end victoriously the
war and for the generous help our
people received from citizens of the
United States"
Secretary Mellon, head of the
American debt commission, declared
, he recognized the influence the
! present conference may have on the
peace Of the world, and described the
American desire and duty as one in
| the direction of settlement that
would be fair to all, and. ain the
! practice test of time, workable"
! NJ. Caillaux spoke very briefly ex-
/ planning the hope of the French was
to reach a settlement that would nc:
, only be practicable insofar as ma
terial interests are concerned, but
, one that would be worthy Of the
| past of the two great natiore."
Fortify Peace
He said the discussions between
the two commissions should go for
ward in such way as "to fortisy
peace and help the economic stabil-
ization in the world"
| 81 have come from France" said
M. CaillauX, ''in trust my govern
ment, to meet the obligations of my
country towards the United States.
Highly appreciated members of our
parliament, belonging to all parties.
chalrmen or reporters of the finan-
cial and trade commissions of the
upper and lower house. have been so
kind as to accompany me. Like my
self. these gentlemen have the great
est desire to reach a settlement
Recalls Lafayette
eve do not forget and none in our
country will ever forget what we
owe to America for her splendid
work to end victoriously the war and
for the generous help our people re
ceived from citizens Of the United
forget and we feel sure nobody on
this side Of the Atlantic forgets the
ties knotted between both our coun-
tries at the end of the eighteenth
! century.
"Now, if you wish, we'll go to work
as practical men, desirous to come to
a settlement satisfactory for all ma
terial interests worthy of the past
of the two great nations, combined
in such a way as to fortify peace and
help the economic stability in the
world
| Replying to the French minister.
Secretary Mellon said:
"One by one the world is over
coming the effects of the war which
so long after it's termination linger
with US. The Dawes plan is a for
ward step towards economic stabili-
Ity in Europe, the reconstruction of
devastated areas approaches conclu-
sion; governmental expenditures are
becoming more regular, more certain
Of estimation and more possible Of
being met through taxation; and
budgets approaching equilibrium.
There still remain, however, loose
ends to be gathered in. War and
post war governmental debts in many
cases remain unsettled.
"To establish the binding charac-
ter Of an international promise and
to protect its own citizens, the cred
itor nation must seek adjustment.
10 keep good Its word and to give
itself time to recover its prosperity.
the debtor nation must determine
its future liabilities. No concern
can successfully be reorganized in
the face of an unfunded demand OBJ
legation. So we meet here in coun-
Gil as businessmen to conclude the
one matter which is in CONTROVERSY
between our two countries"
Urge Cooperation
eve were glad to receive the help
} which France extended to use when
we were fighting for our independ-
ence, and we were eager to
make some return in Frances's
own great need. The was is
over, but we minimize neither
the burdens France has borne nor
the difficulties which menace her
|, future.
Through the necessity of recreat-
ing her destroyed productivity,
through postponement of reimburse
] Continued on page two)