Show y y Y T tv VI tt yo BRITISH CABINET SIFTS NOTES HOLD HOLDI oio I FIRM FR ON O DEBT N Britain's Ministry T Tc I Discuss Franco Belgian Replies Franco IMPORTANT ISSUE UE I Policy Policy of Acting Alone Or With Allies To Be Decided LO LONDON DO July The 31 31 Si tiP The PI bu business mess before the cab cab- cabInet cab cabinet inet met today was 39 the discussion of the Franco Belgian communications communications in reply to Great Creat reparations note It was vas generall understood in political circles s that ministers were cre era approaching their tak k k with serious anxiety The rhe eon of opinion here is s that Trance france Is Immovable In her hat the she he has s the thir sup sup- support sup support port of or Belgium is LS is far tar as e resistance and the continuation of the Ruhr occupation are con con- conee Concerned con concerned ee rn cd cdAn An important decision regarding Great policy toward her I French and Belgian allies In the matter of reparations was expected I to bp be b the outcome o of the cabinet meeting toda today The cabinet had to decide I IThe whether hether Great Britain would ac- ac accede accede ac accede cede to Frances France's request for addi addi- additional additional Information ln regarding the British proposals als thereby involvIng involving ing lag f farther del s or whether the British covern 10 would assume the of negotiating di- di direct direct di direct with Germany nany without the approval of France or Belgium It was as pointed out in British of- of ot ti id-ti circles that the German Germau gov- gov government government gov government I was as sas finding itself sur- sur surI surrounded surrounded sur surrounded rounded by ever growing I tes and that It was possible that before Great Britain r rian-o rian ane and andI andreI I reI glum cold agree on a unIform policy the tle Cuno government might fai f 1 OTES LO LONDON DO- DO July 31 The fM W The French and Belgian premiers Mon Non Monda Nonday Monday da day C evening handed to Lord Curzon Curson secretary of state stale tor for foreign af- af affaIrs affairs af affairs fairs the replies of their govern govern- governments governments ments to the British note nota propos proposing ing log negotiations with Germany to the problem of the Ruhr and the greater problem of German reparations Thus ended one chap chap- chapter chapter chap chapter ter In the trying negotiations Yet Tet it is a question in the minI mind ot of the British public whether these notes noles do more than open another in the wearisome process It If Premier Baldwin has baa brought about any change resembling final final- finalIty finality finality labout ity or an allied agreement he ho vill willbe be acclaimed as a miracle yorker But there are no bigne that a acle I has been worked Premier Baldwin an Lord Cur Cur- Cur zon zen plainly cherish no such I optimism Both oth briefly In par par- par I commons and lords today today on the position of toe negotiation at that moment No o promise wa was chen gien today II that they would likely see sec the Iho cur cur- curtain curtain tab tain raised The premier speaking only an hour or so before the for tor- foreign for foreign eign received the notes nolea told the tho commons It was vas doubtful whether anything would be re- re received re received calved which could be published In ThursdaYs debate The premier gao ga one gloomy hint I 1 am afraid he ho said It It will only a continuation continuation of the negotiations Lord Curzon Curron Informed the lords with an air of weary weary- that he certainly would give thema thorna them a statement Thursday it if it were within his power to do so but his manner clearly Indicated that he did not think it would No hints have bavo come across the channel that Premier PoIncare has abandoned or even modified the views which hi his government has previouS 1 held to so tenaciously and on every opportunity ho he hM has reiterated the tha planks la In his plat plat- platform piat- piat platform form that t there here will win be no beginning begin- begin beginning ning of ot conversations with Ocr Ocr- Ger Germany many unless that nation I enounces passive resistance In the Ruhr and awl that there will be no noy 1 y from fron the Ruhr until Germany has granted France franco all i she demands I That seems to be the tIle deep gulf which no minor concessions that France makes to 10 Great Britain can bridge The Italian answer to the British reparations proposals marks ac- ac ac according cording to the a middle course between the French and British policies Italy admits the th right of or the tho entente cl claim for reparations but desires that this question shall be bo joined with that ot of debts debt In no case must Germany be allowed to evade payment of ot reparations to tho the ex- ex extent teat ex-teat tent of her economic power t |