Evening star., 1932-06-17
Action Taken in Hope That
Permanent Agreement
Can Be Reached.
GREAT BRITAIN OFFERS
TO WIPE SLATE CLEAN
France Insists, However, That
Elimination of Trade Barriers
Is More Important.
By the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press.
LAUSANNE, Switzerland, June IT,
Great Britain offered to wipe the slate
clean Of reparations and war debts at
the International Economic Confer
ence here today, but France insisted
that elimination of trade barriers was
more important than cancellation Of
the war payments.
Germany's spokesman, in temperate
address, made no reference to repudi-
alton Of reparations. but indicated that
1t might be necessary to declare a
moratorium on private debts, most Of
which are owed to Americans.
The most important concrete achieve
ment Of today's session was the accept
ance by Great Britain, France, Italy,
Belgium and Japan Of a temporary
agreement to suspend reparation pay
ments from June 80, when the Hoover
moratorium ends, to the close Of the
present conference.
Offers to Clean Slate.
This sidetracked suggestion that
the Hoover holiday be extended an
other six months. 1t assured continu-
alton of the conference at least until
next month.
Neville Chamberlain, speaking for the
Macdonald government. asserted that
Great Britain Is ready to waive her
claim to $4,000 900, 900 in war payments
provided all the other governments con-
cerned will do the same.
Total British debt payments TO GATE
exceed the total Of receipts by t200,-
600 900, he said. but Great Britain Is
willing to pass up it's claim. 80 fully
convinced are we that only radical
measures can restore the confidence
without which the wheels OF creolt
cannot revolve"
He emphasized, as Prime Minister
Macdonald did yesterday, that the neeo
for speed is imperative.
Final Action Welcome.
The declaration to delay reparations
payments was welcomed by Chancellor
Franz Won Papen Of Germany as the
first visible proof that the nations con-
cerned intend to take the complete and
final action that Is necessary" to solve
the reparations problem.
Chancellor Won Papen. in his address
to the conference, asked the world to
cancel Germany's reparations debts en-
tirely.
"Palliatives and adjournments are
definitely of the past" he said. We
must take the last step. The grave task
Of this conference is to shake oil the
fatal vicious circle and sweep a path
toward the positive collaboration which
alone can assure brighter future"
The session at which the German
chancellor spoke was private one.
Driven to Radicalism.
Chancellor Won Papen referred to the
United States and France in drawing a
detailed picture Of Germany's plight.
Two of her creditor countries amass-
ed so much good" he said. that 1t
became sterile, while the debtor coun-
try, Germany, was paralyzed."
This situation, he said, caused Ger
man youth to turn to radicalism through
despair. The nations, he said, let the
Hoover holiday pass without decisive
action and failed to heed the warning
of the World Bank Committee at Basel
that a catastrophe was approaching.
It was false. he said. to believe that
Germany would become a formidable
competitor in the world market if she
were freed from her reparations obll-
cations. He complained of the high
interest rate she was forced to pay fo-
Continued on Page 3, Column %