French reparations policy triumphs

The Allies rally and the Germans bow

PARIS, April 26. The responses of the allied governments to the Reparations Commission constitute, for French policy, as conceived by Mr. Poincaré and the national Republican majority of the Chamber, a resounding success. By accepting the conclusions of the experts, and by committing to work on the execution of the program that they have developed, Belgium, England and Italy loudly proclaim the correctness of our thesis, and, as well on the Germany's real capacity to pay and its fraudulent maneuvers, our Allies tell us: “You were right!”

But there is more. Through the organ of its most qualified industrialists and traders, through the voice of the steering committee of its economic congress meeting yesterday in Dusseldorf, Germany itself declares that it must bow down and pay!!!

Oh! no doubt, these leaders of the Reich economy have reservations; we are eight days before the elections, and we do not want to excite ultra-nationalist passions. The industrialists therefore demand that the military occupation of the Ruhr end as soon as possible, that those expelled can return there, and that the economic sovereignty of the Reich be respected. This is all style.

But what is much more important, what is fundamental, is that the Congress of German Industrialists and Traders admits:
1° the active cooperation of Germany in the execution of the experts' plan;
2° inter-allied control over deliveries of Repairs;
3° the presence of the Allies in the general council of the new gold bank and the supervision by our delegates of the issue of notes.

The question of pledges remains to be resolved, on which the French, Belgian, English, Italian and Yugoslav governments are determined not to give in. The problem is also on the verge of being resolved.

It is therefore in vain that, during the two weeks which separate us from the elections, the candidates of the left bloc will shout to their satisfaction that the Ruhr policy, that the national policy has only produced negative results. To this imposture and this stupidity, it is not us who respond: It is England, it is Italy, it is Belgium, ....and it is Germany.

The policy of the Ruhr, the policy of Poincaré, the policy of the national republicans is solemnly ratified today by Europe, as it will be tomorrow by history.

It must at all costs continue, bear fruit, and translate into reduced costs for the French taxpayer. For this, it is necessary that the left bloc be defeated; if he came to power, it would no longer be German industry and commerce that would pay; it is the French nation, because it would suddenly lose, in the eyes of foreigners, the strength and the credit which its success of this day gives it.

JL PAGES.