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Show NOTE OPENS 1 TOUCHY TOPIC Officials Welcome Britain's, Stand As It Clears Up Doubts T . O X D ( ) N , AUstUSt 3. (By the Associated Asso-ciated Press ) Tho British government's govern-ment's note to Great Britain's allies in the great war. reminding them that they owe Ciroaf Britain money and thai she has a right to ask for pay-; mont, has thrown wide open the moot) dellruto topic in international politics. poli-tics. The discussion of the question) of debts owed to Greiit Britain ha.li been studiously avoided by all con- j cerned. apparently with a view on tho part of the creditor nation that lU time for grasping that nettle might moot cenventenlly be indefinitely postponed post-poned The most cheerful view of the effect! of the Erl of Balfour's note dl-J ' ovorable today WM that it will afford' an understanding nil round of whac. arc the policies and intentions of th.;i governments concerned It is considered con-sidered ihnt next to repudiation, or an equivalent plea of Inn b i 1 It y to pay. i uncertainty Is probably the worst I damage which Europe and the world' of business could rontine to suffer. I Within a few days after next week's conference between Premiers j Lloyd George and Polnearo the pel'. , cleS of both Gr.ut Britain and France i should ! made clear, tht French position in one vital rcspeci already Is pialn that all European post-war, Indebf r-il n's? Is iinlreii ! o ire i h j and any solution of the situation must de-j pend on what Germany may be will-j lnjr or forced to do Till: FRENCH MAY As it Is understood here from the! I Paris correspondents of the London j newspapers that Krancc considers any Concession! to Germany In the mat-! ter of reparations and In help b a! foreign loan should be balanced by! similar concessions to France. Nnw-papcr Nnw-papcr opinion Is divided on the point vhothcr Mr. Lloyd George s conference with Bff. Polncsre will now be confined to plan for dealing with Germany or whether Lord Balfour's note will not force eonsideratlon of the widei field of Inter-allied debts There s much curiosity among the! public as to what important members; of the cabinet were responsible for the Strong line Lord Balfour':; notl taken ! sinee U is believed there Is consider able difference of opinion In the cabinet. cab-inet. Also there is curlosltv ,is to how far the advice of Sir Auckland1 Geddes British ambassador to the United stales contributed to the Oam-I lnr; of the note since Sir Auckland's vIpIi home was supposed to be malnlvi for a conference on the American , debt. It Is -p'eytlonable how fur the British government understands Vm-erlcan Vm-erlcan sentiment and whui advice It depended upon for Its views. on . |