M. Laval's Intentions- Whatever' undertakings - M. Laval gave or received
at Washington; he has lost no time in fulfilling his intention of taking up the whole question of Franco-German relations, particularly in their financial aspect. On the urgency of that problem we have said something else- where, and in view of the fact that both the date of the Disarmament Conference and the expiry of the agree- ments extending Germany's frozen credits fall in February, there is no time to be lost if M. Laval's determination to clear the atmosphere before then is to be carried through. The French Premier is credited with the idea of convening a conference at Biarritz next month on the double question of Germany's commercial debts and her reparation payments, but to carry out first a searching investigation into Germany's capacity to pay. That, of course, could only be done with the full con- currence of Dr. Bruning, which is not likely to be with- held. Nothing could be worse than merely to let things drift, and M. Laval's plan (hies offer the oppoitunity for an arrangement that would give Germany the breathing-space essential to her. The danger is that France, as so often, will insist on coupling financial con- cessions with political conditions which Dr. &timing, with the menace of Hitlerism overhanging him, could not accept. But M. Laval has a fairly clear idea of what is possible, for other heads of Governments as well as for himSelf. • *
Previous page
