NEWS OF THE WEEK
LtERMANY has demanded the abolition of the 26 per k•-•,1 cent. duty which is levied on German exports under _the:British and French Reparation Acts. The British and French Governments have been informed that if the duty is not abolished it wilibe impossible to carry through the pro- :posed commercial treaties, as these treaties will have no chance of being ratified by the Reichstag. It is not likely, • however, that either Great Britain or France will remove the chity.-, .Mr. Parker Gilbert,'Agent-.General for Repa- rations; has-Written a letter in which-he- takes the view that .the 26 per cent. duty which is paid in pound sterling outside Germany has disguised the transference of German marks abroad. Kir this reason he lays it down that - the duty ought to be entirely controlled by PAGE the Agent-General. The British representative on the Transfer Committee had apparently taken Ur?. view 768 that the revenue from the duty should be paid monthly to the Agent-General, who could then credit it to th^ account of the German Government. The German Government would then reimburse the German exporters. The present expectation is that Mr. Gilbert's argument will prevail.
