Evening star., 1932-04-04
Macdonald Announces We'd
nesday Program After Talk
With Premier Tardieu.
ARMS, PREPARATIONS
ALSO WILL BE TOPICS
France, Germany, Italy and Great
Britain in Conference Originally
Planned for Danubian Relief.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, April At was definitely
settled today that the four-power con-
ference which meets here Wednesday
will discuss, not only means of ex-
tending financial aid to the nations
on the Danube, but the whole OF
Europes difficulties, including repara-
tions, disarmament and war debts.
Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald
made the announcement last night
after preliminary conversation with
Premier Andre Tardieu of France. who
came here yesterday and remained for
further discussions today.
The conference, at which representa-
tives of France, Germany, Italy and
Great Britain will sit in, originally
was intended to go into the finances
of Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia,
Jugoslavia and Rumania. After the two
statesmen had talked yesterday, how
ever, the prime minister announced
that the disarmament situation at
Geneva and the Lausanne Conference
on Preparations would also be discussed.
Questions Affecting United States.
This opened the way for considera-
ton of Europe's relations with the
United States, including what will
happen when the present Hoover
moratorium ends, as well as the future
of American war debt payments.
The two ministers sat together in the
study at 10 Downing street. Premier
Tardieu, with Pierre Flandin, French
foreign minister, and other members
of their party arrived at Victoria Sta
ton at pm. in a drizzling rain. Sir
John Simon, British foreign secretary,
accompanied Prime Minister MacDon-
aid to welcome them.
Once settled in the traditional home
Of Britain's premiers, they turned their
attention to the Danube, where five
nations have declared in effect that
unless urgent measures are taken to
financial storm such as tossed the
whole of Central Europe last Summer
may sweep the Continent, bringing
worldwide consequences.
M Tardieu'S visit was planned to
turn back such a possibility by nego-
tiating an Anglo-French understand
ing for extending rapid financial re-
lief along the Danube After a pre-
iminary survey the statesmen, all at
tended dinner at the French en-
baSSy.
British Intentions Sincere.
"The intention of the British gov
ernment," Prime Minister Macdonald
said, sis sincere and disinterested in
getting the maximum amount of good
will and international cooperation
brought to bear on the solution of the
problems before us. One country can
not do it. The policy we are working
out is policy of cooperation with
everybody who is aiming at peace"
A joint declaration of the two pre-
miers was issued to allay suspicion
regarding the meeting spread in some
European countries. 1t said:
There are no agreements before
hand There are no drafts Of pro-
posals beforehand. We want an agree
the interests and well-being of each
nation concerned. Our policy is for
practical steps to establish and main
tain the peace and well-being OF
Europe and the world"
Cabinet Room Meeting.
The two statesmen began their con-
versations in the big white and mahog-
any cabinet room at No. 10. M. Tar
dieu sat at the long cabinet table be-
side the prime minister, while Neville
Chamberlain, chancellor of the exche-
quer, and Sir John Simon, the foreign
secretary. sat in on the discussions
Walter Runciman, president OF the
Board of Trade, also was present.
Pierre Flandin, the French finance
minister, was with his premier and
20 French and British experts were at
the call of the ministers.
The only interruption of the schedule
was an official luncheon at the prime
minister's residence.
The presence of Runciman indicated
the Importance of the tariff problems
which the four-power conference must
tackle in its efforts to blast out the
trade barriers of Southeastern Europe
The conversations began again this
morning at 10 o'clock, when Premier
Tardieu and M Flandin arrived In
Downing street M. Tardieu spent a
half hour comforting with Sir Jonn
Simon, after which both went TO the
prime ministers residence.