4 JULY 1931, Page 5

News of the Week

War Debts French have an incorrigible love of "running things fine." When the Duke of Wellington, entering Brussels, said, "A d—d nice run thing," he was iiot amused. But during the War the French many a time made their Allies shudder while they smiled and 'enjoyed a dramatic coup. The time-limit for the accept- ence of the proposals made by the President of the United States for an international moratorium for pay- inents on account of War debts is very near. The French Government is still discussing them. There are some things, like the inviolability of the payments to be made by Germany under the Young Plan as accepted at the Hague Conference, which France requires that everyone 'should accept en prineipe before she can make con- cessions. That she is prepared to make considerable Concessions has been evident since the Premier, Foreign _ Minister and Minister of Finance collaborated in a Note which obtained approval after an all-night sitting by a substantial majority of the Chamber. The Senate's vote of confidence was passed on Tuesday when the reservations contained in the Note were confirmed.