Evening star., 1925-10-01
Reports of Riffs in
American + ,dy
UnfOunded.
SMOOT AND MELLON
ISSUE STATEMENT
Meeting at White House
Not to Ask Coolidge
Approval.

Emphatic denial was made at the
White House today of public reports
to the effect that an agreement had
been reached for the settlement or
the French debt to the United States.
At the same time denial also was
made of discord and division among
the members of the American debt
commission.
This statement, although brief. was
in language Enthusiastically plain. and
while 1t was dictated by Secretary of
the Treasury Mellon. head of the
American commission, and Senator
Reed Smoot of Utah. a member of
the commission, the statement is
known to have had the approval of
President Coolidge. It's issuance fol-
lowed a conference between President
Coolidge and the four members of the
subcommittee of the American COM
mission who had been handling the
settlement terms with NJ CaillauX and
his experts since the negotiations were
opened here several days ago. The
other two members of the subcom
mittee present at the conference were
Secretary of Commerce Hoover and
Representative Crisp of Georgia.
Full Statement.
The statement. in full, follows:
THE representation in the press on
the supposed authority of a member
of the French commission that agree
ment had been reached and purporting
to give the terms is entirely incorrect.
Such d statement obviously did not
come from NJ. Caillaux, because be-
fore the adjournment of the subcom-
mittee last evening the French men,
bers were informed by the American
members that their proposals were
not likely to be accepted.
There has been no difference of
opinion whatever among the American
commission. The visit to the Presi-
dent this morning Is to inform him
Of the position of the negotiations
No proposal has been made accepta-
BILE to the American commission and
none has been submitted to the Pres.
ident for his approval or disapproval." !"
When the subcommittee had con-
cluded it's more than a half hours talk
with President Coolidge and had made
public It's denial of the debt settlement
story which is known to have come
from what was supposed to be a re-
liable French source, 1t Immediately
went into session at the Treasury
Building preparatory to meeting with
the French commissioners at IL
o'clock.
Report Accepted.
Inasmuch as the report to the eff.
hot -
been reached emanated from what was
supposedly an authoritative source, it
was readily accepted as being true.
And 1t was generally supposed today
that the reports publication that these
important negotiations finally had
been concluded and that the matter of
binding the bargain rested only in the
assent of President Coolidge, publica.
ton of the figures of the settlement
and the terms Of payment and other
details, contributed largely to the re-
port being generally accepted.
Although the White House state
ment today explained that the visit of
the subcommittee to the President
this morning was merely to inform
him of the progress thus far made
in the negotiations. 1t is understood
that the President was advised in
minute detail of the several proposals
made by the French and of the posi-
ton taken by the American members.
Those who are close to the President
and are familiar with his attitude
toward the settlement of debts owed
the United States by foreign nations
intimated today that they would be
surprised if President Coolidge put his
stamp of approval upor any such
agreement as was reported to have
been reached in this mornings press.