Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-12-11
WE HAVE PUT ENOUGH AMER
ICAN MONEY INTO EUROPE'S
GRABBAGS

GRABBAGS
European governments owe US
about ten thousand million dollars, !
borrowed money.
That is an inconceivable sum of |
money. The human mind cannot |
grasp it.
1t is as much money as the United
States expended in its whole existence
from July 4, 1776, to the day that !
Woodrow Wilson was elected Presi- |
dent, one hundred and thirty six years.
And we fought some wars in that
time, too
These ten thousand million dollars
were taken from the people of the
United States, either by taxation or
by borrowing on bonds, which must
eventually be redeemed by taxation.
The money was literally shoveled
out to every begging European gov
eminent that held out its hands.
Even the bogus Russian govern
ments-with the exception of the only
one that has proved to be permanent
were showered with tens of mil
lions.
And it was a saying in Washington
that whenever Balfour took off his
hat the Secretary of the Treasury
threw a billion at it.
Now comes proposition that all
these European borrowers be excused
for a period of three years from pay
ing the interest they, owe us on these
billions.
The largest creditor is England, and
England has just spent in seizinz Per-
STA and getting control of Caspian
ell fields twice as much money as she
owes US for interest
England is also feverishly spending
hundreds Of millions on increase of
her standing army and navy-in vio-
lation of that one of Mr.. Wilson's
fourteen points which provides for
free seas and general disarmament.
England may say that her expen-
ditures on her army and navy and her
subjugation of Asiatic and Russian
territories are her own business and
none of our business.
Very well. Let it go at that, for
Arguments sake.
But if these things are no concern
of ours, then why plead them as an
excuse for welching on the payment of
WHAT is DUE US?
Why ask US for the money to pay
for conquests, annexations and arm
aments which are no affair of ours
The American people have become
very tired of this perpetual clamor
for money, credit and help from these
European Governments.
We go short Of coal, food textiles,
sugar, coffee, tea, and heaven only
knows what, and pay two prices for
everything we eat or wear in order
that the dear Allies may not find the
cost of living too Highland to be
asked to forego our own claims for
the debts due us is putting it on just
little too thick for the average
Americans patience.
The taxes to be leviel this year will
exceed five thousand million dollars.
The interest upon the huge bonded
Indebtedness piled up by the criminal
extravaganza of two years will be one
thousand million dollars.
Ten thousand million dollars of
this money we Rad to raise in taxes
or bonds in order that England,
France and Italy might escape taxing
their people-and now we are asked
to tax ourselves again in order that
these Governments may escape taxing
their people to pay the interest due
us.
In other words, having been taxed
to death to loan these European Dor
rowers money, we must now be taxed
to pay the interest due to ourselves!
The Senator or Representative in
Congress who votes for that propo
sition will have lot of explaining to
do to his constituents.
And if any Cabinet officer tries, to
put this thing over without the con-
sent of Congress, we may hear the
buzzing of impeachment machinery
getting in running order.-Ex.
.-
THE ETERNAL MONUMENT