29 JUNE 1929, Page 2

* * * * Herr Stresemann in the Reichstag Herr

Stresemann, though still a sick man, has lost little time in " facing the music " in the Reichstag. On Monday he made a frank, courageous, and effective reply to the Nationalist case against acceptance of the new Reparations settlement. Count Westarp was in a difficult position. by the fact that, as Herr Stresemann did not fail to point out, the moving spirit of the Nationalist party, Herr Hugenberg, was known to have prompted an earlier fierce attack in the Press on the Dawes Plan, and demanded its revision. Each of the -five parties to the present Coalition put up a speaker to support the attitude of the Foreign Minister; namely that Germany should ratify the Young Plan, subject to the immediate evacuation of the occupied territory. Common sense tells us that any Committee of Verification and Concilia- tion would belie the name. We hope that the French will vindicate their ancient claim to possess that quality beyond all others, and not press their demand. Great Britain's policy must be governed also by common sense. The interests of peace—and Germany—may be best served by a few months' delay, so that the evacuation may definitely mark Allied rejection of Versailles in favour of Locarno.

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