The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-06-24
BY RAYMOND CLAPPER
United Press staff Correspondent

WASHINGTON, June 24.-The
perplexing problem raised by
Frances refusal to agree in full to
President Hoover's debt and repa-
rations holiday proposal caused
hurried conferences here today, even
in advance of receipt of the official
text of the French reply.
AS soon as press dispatches were
received reporting the French &C
ceptance as being conditional upon
Germans making the "nonpostr~S
able" Young plan PREPARATIONS pay
mentS, Secretary Of State Henry l..
Stimson and Sir Ronald Lindsayt
British ambassador, conferred at the
state department.
Immediately afterward, Stimson
and acting Secretary Of Treasury
Ogden Mills spent half an hour with
President Hoover.
Il can say nothing while these
negotiations are going on" Stimson
said as he left the White House.
May Bring Recessions
The question thus confronting the
Hoover administration Is whether
Frances plan sufficiently conforms
to the ends in vieH to warrant Mr..
Hoover in receding slightly from the
method he proposed, namely com"
plete all around suspension Of all
payments for one year, with no ex-
ceptions.
The American decision now is be-
ing formulated, but it will not be
announced until the official French
reply isereceived.
Meantime, domestic reaction con-
tinued favorable to the Hoover plan,
on the whole. Replies to President
Hoover's canvass of the entire con-
gresS are coming in and are mostly
favorable, the White House said
today Only a few are opposed, it
was stated. Tabulation of them
awaits the complete returns.
No Tax Boost
No tax increase will be necessary
because of any loss Of debt pay
ments due to the Hoover plan, ac-
cording to Will Wood, chairman of
the house appropriations committee,
following a call on President
Hoover.
Howard E. Coffin, automobile and
airplane manufacturer, told Mr..
Hoover that his plan should ex-
tend for more than one year, pos
sibly five or ten years.
New force has been given Presi-
dent HooverS proposal by sug-
gestions from the Democratic camp
for a political truce.
Italy's reservation that Germany
must abandon her projected customs
union with Austria has thrown a
complicating factor in the way. De-
spite these diplomatic hurdles the
is hopeful.
Harrison Backs ArmiStice
The suggestion for political ar
came from Senator Pat Har-
rison Of Mississippi, ranking Demo-
crat on the senate finance commit
tee.
Times like these are like times of
war and a political truce should
be declared" said Harrison. 80 far
as my own feelings are concerned,
the public interest will be served
best by declaring an arnistice on
politics. so that these issues may be
solved by American statesmen,
rather than by American politi-
clans"
Such an utterance, coming from
one of the most vitriolic critics of
President Hoover in the Democratic
party, was regarded as tending
further to reaSSure Europe as TO TIE
probability OF congress giving its re-
quired approval to President Hoov-
er's plan next December.
Wants Earlier Congress
Harrison would have congress
convened thirty days early to con-
slider the matter. He congratulated
the President on The non-pSr-
tisan manner" in which he con-
Quoted the negotiations.
Because Of his great personal In
duepce inside the Democratic ns-
tional organization. HarriSon's ST =
ment was regarded as one of .',e
most significant comments that has
come from the opposition party.
Newton D. Baker, secretary Of war
under President Wilson, has joined
with Owen D. Young, one Of the
trainers of the existing reparations
in praising the action
Of President Hoover, thus placing
two Of the most eminent Democrats
outside of the formal party organ
lzaticn on record behind Mr..
Hoover.