Pulling As One

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 169, 19 August 1929, Page 7

Pulling As One

(British Official Wireless).

britain behind snowden Nation 's B&mand For, Justice A DETERMINED ATTITUDE

(Eeoeived This Day, Noon). RUGBY, August 18. A meeting of the fmancial committeo of the Hague conference, which hadi been arranged for to-day, was last night postponed Until next Week to give the Powei's concerned further. opportunity of formulating proposals to lneet the British claim for equitablo treatment in regard to the disposal of the reparations annuities. This postponemeut Was arranged! after M. Jasper, on behalf of Franeey Italy, Belgium and Japan, had handea to_ Mr Snowden the memorandum containing the prop&sals which Mr Snow* deu verhally intimated to be unsatis* factory and. to which he sent a writtexf reply to-day. It is understood by conrespondentas that the memorandum was vagne in its terms and that it failed to coveq points in the British demands, but ita contents are considered confidential for tbe time being in order to give tho Powers opporturiity for further conSideration. The delegaies concerned with poli* tical problems had several informal conversations yesterday but tbe meet* iug of the four Ministers, Mr. Henderson, M. Briand, M. Hymans ancl Herlj Stresemann, contemplated for to-day^ has also been postponed. * THE BRITISH REPLY. The British delegation' s reply to tho proposals of the four creditor PowerO Consisted of a . eovering " letter andmemorandum. The forxner suggests that if the con« ference is to suceeed, further* aud morej serious effect must be made to meetj tbe British position and that the Notei from the other Powers only repeats in' a vague mantter tbe suggestiona already discussed and rejeeted by tbe Britisn delegation as quite inadequate^ Tlie British delegation claims ,no' unfair advantage but is simply askmg for the rights to which it is entitled! under tlie existing agreements. Great Britain must recover, either by annuities or eapital, the snm ofi £2,400,000 per year which she would' lose under the Young plan proposals^ as well as the share in the unconditional annuities, approximating toi her dne percentage, if not equivalent to it. . The memorandum deals senatinl with the arguments and proposals put for Ward in the Note oi the four Powers. , . It states that the British Government cannot agree that the_ work ofi tlie experts must he dealt with as a' whole and cannot he re-discussed; The experts Were independent and djd not bind their Governnients and this was reCognised by the British and French, Governments before their appointment aud during theii* meetings. GOVERNMENT'S DESIRE. The British Government has no desire to alter the fundamental part of the Young plan and will accept it as regards payments to he made by Germany, which was the main point on wliieh the experts' advice was asked. All that the British Government desires is to bring the distribution of the whole of the annuities and the -unconditional part of it into conformity with the existing agreements, which are binding upon the Governments who signed thein. The Young plan does not, as suggested by the other Powers. offer to Great • Britain advantages which compensate for her sacrifices under it. Tlie Italian Government had claimed! and ohtained a settlement of their war debt to Great Britain on unprecedentedly favourable terms under the plea that they were entitled to a comjiaratively small share of the reiiarations. Yet it was now proposed that Italy's share in the German annuitv sliould he increased at the expense or Great Britain, not for the purpose ofi coveriug her debt llabilities, but in order to provide her witli a suhstantial surplus over and ahove the full war debt cover. VAGUE AND INDEFINITE, The new proposals for deliveries in kmd, wliich are vague and indefinite, are less favourable to Great Britain than the Versailles Treaty and in any case would not compensate Great Britain for other fiiiancial sacrifices. Mr Snowden's attitude continues to receive the whole-hearted support oi the British press. Tlie Observer says, "Certam minimum rights were secured to this countiy at the Spa conference, and in reliance uxion them Britain has settled with her debtors on terms of unparalleled generosity. Tlie country is behind Mr Snowden m his refusal to have them whittled away." Tbe Sunday Times says, "Throughout tlie wgr and ever since Great Britain has been making heavy sacrifices to help her Allies and neighhours and! it is high time _ tbat tliev began to show some consideration for us. Tlie two extra millions tliat are in dispute cculd well be found by those couutries tliat have liad hundreds of millions from us since 1914. Our European friends sliould realise that this Country is iu earnest and means to have the Young plan revised."