48. Mr. CAINEasked the Prime Minister if he is aware that recently Germany definitely offered France 7,500,000,000 dollars (seven billion five hundred million dollars) equal to approximately £1,600,000,000 (one thousand six hundred million pounds) in settlement of reparations exclusive of reparations in money, coal, iron, and in kind already made, and that France refused this offer without making an alternative proposition; and whether the British Government was aware of this refusal?
§ The PRIME MINISTERSo far as I am aware, it is not the case that a definite offer on these lines has been made in the manner suggested. I have heard that on certain conditions the German Government contemplated making an 2068 offer of thirty milliard gold marks (£1,500,000,000) at the time of the Allied Conference at Paris. As to the circumstances of the German overture, I would refer my hon. Friend to Command Paper 1812, page 68. As my hon. Friend is aware, the British Government at the time of the Paris Conference considered that £2,500,000,000 might be found to be within Germany's power to pay, subject to a moratorium; but their proposals were not accepted by the Allies and the Conference broke down.