Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-09-27
Atmosphere Will Be Cleared
by Four Social Gatherings
Before Next Session.
Divergent VIEWPOINTS
ARE STILL FAR APART
Experts Hard at Work on Nature
of Answers to American
Arguments.


without formal business sessions he
Aween the French and American debt
commissions, during which time the
French have been seriously consider
ing the American rejoinder 10
Frances first offer, negotiations will
he resumed at the Treasury Depart
ment tomorrow morning at 10 O'Clock.
But in the meantime, since a brief
session Friday. when France was
handed the three page Mellon memo
randum proposing that Fra nee
might well follow closer the lines laid
down by Great Britain in her fund
ing agreement. there have beeen nu-
merous informal gettosether meet
ings, and the French experts have
been hard at work on phases of their
reply to be made tomorrow.
Both Hope for Success.
Although still admittedly far apart
on many points of the negotiations,
with serious differences existing.
both French and American commits
sioners last night again professed
hope for successful conclusion.
Both sides to ilue difficult problem
u
debt to the United States feel en-
couraged over the effect informal
meetings including those at luncheons
and dinners, have had in reconciling
differences.
The bread breaking actually began
at the White House on the first night
of the FranCo-American negotiations.
Thursday. But at that time the two
commissions had not come out in the
open with their two widely divergent
positions. as now revealed In the orig
inal French offer and the American
rejection of that offer, with conStruc-
tive suggestions.
FRIDAY night. with NJ. CaillauX still
surprised at the nature of the Amer
lean proposal, which Is understood To
contain suggestions that France follow
more in the footsteps of Great Brit
ain in her funding. the French lead
er, Secretary Mellon and an embassy
expert gathered in the home of Gar
rard r. Winston. There cold formal
Ity gave way to informality, and it
was understood cordial discussion of
The problem took place.
Lunch at Embassy.
Yesterday the scene was at the
French embassy. where Secretary Mel
lon. UnderseCretary Winston, NJ. Call
laux and members of the French COM
mission were guests at luncheon. In
formal conversati tions on the neGoti-
ations were understood to have been
carried still further at the embassy.
Today Mount Nernon'S historic
scenes and the spacious apartment of
Secretary of the Treasury Mellon in
this city will see the informal getting
together of these two groups of diplo-
mats, who have been pleased to call
themselves practical men" and ''busi-
ness men,"
Thus it appears that there will have
been at least four occa sions when the
heads of the two commissions have
been together informally between the
last previous formal session Friday
and the one set for tomorrow morn
ing at 10 o'clock. when the French
reply will be presented.
Seem Vital Factors.
Luncheons. dinners and sightseeing
tours thus become imbued with sig
nificance far beyond their usual inn
port, and what would otherwise be de-
tailed arrangements assume the dis
tinction of what may be vital factors
in this serious stage of the negotia-
tionS.
Both the French and American
commissions will leave Washington
about 10 o'clock for Mount Vernon.
Returning they will go direct to Mr..
Melons apartment for luncheon.
After luncheon in the Sunday after
noon atmosphere there will be oppor-
tunity for more discussion over the
great question between the two great
governments.
NJ. CaillauX let it be known last night
how pleased he is with the personal
reception accorded the French by the
American commissioners and with the
composition of that commission.
He has formed, it was said a great
respect for the entire membership of
the American commission and for their
attentiveness to the French position,
although the first French offer was
rejected.
"Now that 1 know these gentlemen
Of the American commission" M.
CaillauX was quoted by one close to
him as saying, 81 have found them
to be gentlemen of judgment, knowl-
edge and fairness. 1t is upon that
ground that my optimism Is based
and I have the best hope in the world
that what is, fair will come out of it."
Caillaux in Good Spirits.
The French minister saw CORE
spondents again last night at his usual
hour, but revealed little information
beyond his bare plans for today. He
seemed in good spirits, however
laughed and joked with his question
ers and reiterated his confidence in
eventual success of the parley
A luncheon engagement with the
Overseas Writers for today was can
celed with regret by NJ. CaillauX, in
view Of plans for the two debt COM
missions.
Should France successfully conclude
an agreement with this Government,
more than three-fourths of the war
debts owed the United tates by Eu.
rope will be funded.
With Italy and CZechoslovakia al
ready on the list as having set dates
for early departure of their debt COM
missions, prospects are good for the
American debt commission to clear up
by far the ma jority of the task Con-
gress assigned to it, before the next
session OF Congress rolls around in
December.
Great Britain, which funded first,
was the largest debtor, with France
second, and Italy third. All other
debtors fall into class below the
billion dollar mark.
To date, funding agreements have
been concluded with six nations, for
NContipIed on Pa pe 4 1,ol,un r