Evening star., 1932-06-20
LAUSANNE MOVES
TO GENERAL SLASH
IN WORLD TARIFFS
Belgium, Holland and Duchy
of Luxembourg Sign
Customs Unic-
MACDONALD AND HERR!oT
DISCUSS PREPARATIONS
Seek to Work Out Europe's Own
Solution Before Asking U. S.
to Play Its Part.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LAUSANNE, Switzerland, June 20
Belgium, Holland and the Grand Duchy
G LuXsmburg agreed today to impo-
10 new tariffs on trade with each other
end to r5duce existing tariffs by 10 per
cent a year until a stipulated level is
reached.
The agreement was designed as the
first step III a general reduction OF world
tariffs advocated yesterday by the six
northern nations which are parties to
the Oslo protocol of 1880. The larger
powers are much more likely to accept
this union than the combination which
Austria and Germany sought to effect
scme months ago, inasmuch as the new
combination has none of the political
aspects which made the Austro-German
union objectionable.
Discuss Reparations.
Meanwhile Prime Minister MacDon-
aid Of Great Britain and Premier Her
riot Of France INDUCED in long talk
this morning. 1t was assumed they
discussed the delicate negotiations
which would be necessary to put into
effect Europe's own solution OF the
reparations problem before asking the
United States to play its part.
NJ. Herriot talked this matter over
with his cabinet colleagues during the
week end recess, consulting them as
TO how far he dare go in giving up the
traditional French reparations claims
without previous assurance that the
United States is willing to cooperate.
Fortified by letter from King Albert
OF the Belgians, ministers OF the SIX
northern states adopted resolution at
meeting yesterday proposing the tariff
reduction as one means OF easing the
world economic crisis.
Since the end of the war" King
Albert wrote Premier jules Renkln OF
Belgium, one Of the delegates, 'all ex-
pertS consulted by the governments
have Invariably expressed the opinion
that prosperity of peoples and peaceful
relations are dependent upon freedom
in the circulation of goods, capital and
labor.
Warnings Ignored.
Unfortunately, these grave warnings
we're not listened to. Consequences Of
the policy of restriction have been
fatal"
Under the Oslo protocol these states
agreed to respect as far as possible
their reciprocal interests and to act in
concert with & view to general improve
ment Of trade. The necessity Of rem
edying the disorganization of monetary
systems and Cf 1e-establishing interna-
tional credit was urged in the foreign
ministers resolution. The six countries
are agreed, the resolution said, that "the
erection of new tariff barriers and va
riOuS other restricted measures has con-
tributed in great measure to aggravate
the present crisis
The big four of the conference, Great
Britain, France italy and Germany,
planned an intensive effort today to
map out a definite plan which they
hoped would end in permanent set
tlement of the war debts and repara-
tiOns problem. The indication was that
these parleys would continue through
out the week and that it would take
that long. at least, to iron out the diff
1crenCeS among them.
Three OF them have come out for
cancellation, but France has insisted
that, although Germany cannot pay
now. the treaties must be observed
Belgian headquarters here issued this
cormuniQue today:
Representatives of the Dutch, Bel
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