Evening star., 1932-07-14
BRITAIN CLARIFIES
NEW PARIS TREATY
Denies Consultative Pact
With France Aims at
Debts to u. S.
Continued From First Page)

turbed by the French Interpretation Of
the agreement
Premier Herriot told the Finance
Committee OF the Chamber Of Deputies
that the pact would enable Europe to
present a united front to the United
States in negotiations concerning the
war debts. When Sir John Simon an
nounced the accord to Parliament yes
terday he said it had nothing whatever
10 do with the American debts.
Herriot's Statement
AS quoted here. M. Herriot said: In
the fut,ve no problem affecting the in
terests Of France and Great Britain can
be treated separately by either govern
ment. The immediate consequence Of
the new pact will be that Great Britain
| cannot, as in 1923, undertake in the fu-
ture to make payment to the United
States for settlement of debts without
previously consulting the French gov
| ernment. The certainty of a concerted
attitude is henceforth an acquired fact
which will facilitate success in negotia-
! tions with Washington"
The apparent difference Of interpre-
| tation recalled that the Daily Herald Of
| last Friday asserted that four secret
agreements had been reached at Lau-
same including one agreement by
! three powers that none of them will
make any settlement with the United
States contrary TO the interests OF the
/ others.
| British opinion. as represented by
some London newspapers, showed dis
position to wonder at, or TO oppose, the
accord.
The discussions of the pact generally
omitted the question of the apparent
/ difference of Interpretation of the new
agreement In France and Great Britain
in regard Its application to debts owed
the United States.
Cites Ottawa Conference.
The Daily Express. launching an at
tack on the accord in an editorial. re-
garded it chiefly as prejudicing the
work Of the Imperial Conference. about
to begin at Ottawa. Canada.
The Express asked whether 1t was
coincidence or an intention that this
momentous announcement was made
on the day the ship sailed for Canada
with the British delegation to the con-
ference.
Were the dominions consulted?" the
paper asked. Have we entered, or are
we in process of entering. into obliga-
tions, understandings, arrangements.
pacts and agreements with a foreign
nation without knowledge or sanction
Of our self-governing dominions?
1T is bad enough for this country
to get mixed up still further with Euro
pean affairs, but 1t is monstrous II in
that process we make decisions that may
not only separate us from the domln-
ions in the economic sphere, but may
result eventually in separation in case
of war"
The Daily Herald, labor organ, said
Sir John Simon's announcement will
require a great deal of elucidation before
it meets with the approval of progress
Sive opinion in this country
1T leaves so much unsaid," the paper
complained
1t quoted Premier Herriot of France
as hailing the announcement of the
accord as a resurrection of the old
entente cordiale. the Franco British
agreement of 1904 by which France and
Great Britain settled their positions in
ing dominance over Egypt and France
over Morocco.
ITO return to the old system Of sec
tional alliances" the Herald said, such
as those which produced the great war,
would be retrograde step of the worst
kind"
New Accord Hailed.
Some other papers, however, hailed
the new accord as the beginning of
new spirit in Europe
The Telegraph welcomed 1t as likely
to strengthen the spirit OF co-opera-
ton arising from the Lausanne agree
ment The News Chronicle said it con-
sidered the foreign secretary's state
ment extremely important and that 1t
showed France was ready to cooper
ate practically with Great Britain to
degree not apparent for long time.