The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1920-04-17

satisfactory answer Is not loTthcom-
ing. II is being asked with particular
reference To Gen. John J. PerShing,
who was in command Of the oversee
forces II is being asked with respect
m some eight or ten major generals
who won distinction in the war ana
who according 70 the view OF most per-
sons should not be called on To take
I'M the routine work Of the army. Nhat /
IN do with General Pershing is real /
problem with the secretary or war. |
After closing out his work in France /
last fall the general returned to this /
CITY. He opened an office here in !
building apart from the war depart !
menr building proper and for two or |
three months was busy with his final
report. He finished with that job ear
| " i'm the year and since he made MS
| final report has been killing time while
waiting for the secretary OF war 10
give him an assignment.
| In the meantime he continues under
the nominal appointment of command
or Of the American expeditionary
forces with station in this city. Sec
rotary of War Baker having nothing
else in mind at this time for the gen.
eral is sending him out on one lnSpec-
ton trip after another.
There is some confusion about the
exact military status of General Per-
sbinp due 10 lack Of clearneSs in leglS-
Iation enacted by congress. BY exist
ing law there is created the office or
general of the armies of the United
States" II is held that General Per
shing is not occupying this office ana
is not doing so because the president
through an error in nominating him
and the senate through an error IN
confirming him designated him as gen
eraI i'm the regular army an office that
in reality does rot exist. There mas
been question as to whether General
Pershing is entitled 10 receive pay I'M
der the commission he possesses, but
the question has not been raised ON
cialIy and probably will not be. This
all goes TO show how little careless
ness created much confusion.
Unable to Pay Debts.
The treasury department is now
convinced that ii will be a long
time before any of the govern
r ments to which cash was advanced by
l. the United States during the world
:, war will be able to pay. Some OF the
i money never will come back. Russia,
s for instance. received $751;, T29, $50, and
= while IL is possible that in time part
# of this debt may be paid. the expecta'
It ton is that the greater part of it VIII
b. eventually have 10 be charged to proht
:. and loss. The total credits estab'
= lished in the United States by foreign
IS countries on account of the war aggre'
e gated S9,647, 40 494.S4. The cash act
uaIy advanced aggregated SS,4l6,3tl.
so $500. Great Britain got almost han
re of this money, having received a tOta
ut of S4.277.OOO.OOO. France was close
IN second, having received S3.04I,9I4't ''
es italy was third, having received 81
c. 62O.922. So, and Belgium fourth, th'
IS. amount advanced TO her having aGGre
SIS gated S343, $4,000. The other coun
n tries that received help were Cuba
ne CzechO- SlOvakia. Greece, Liberia, Rou
On mania and Serbia.
ed The unpaid interest on the cash &C
is vanced To foreign governments on az
ii count of the war now amounts 10 S463
he 215,613. divided among the countrie
I'LL as follows: Belgium, $16,S22,OIs
as, Cuba. $500. GS6: Czechc-S iovakia. 81
ng 515.2O4: France. S139,9o4, 272; Ores
"a. Britain. S211. S2S. $50; Greece. $144SOs
az Italy. ST9, 1895. 500; Liberia. 5000; Ro,
ter mania. S1.1633J9; Russia, S9,39O,36l
en and Serbia, S1340606.
ng- Government Accepts Certificates.
or This government. in lieu or cash i
en- terest. is taking certificates of indeb
IS edness. These certificates OF indebte
ua- ness are signed in the name of the r
as sDective debtor governments by repr
to sentatives Of such governments desl
lrt- rated TO the treasury by the depal
the ment of state as being authorized
in, sign i'm the name and on behalf of q
OF respective governments. The earl
eir certificates of indebtedness bore int
hat est at the rate of 3 per cent, but II
Der government is now requiring the del
or countries TO pay per cent "a
Great Britain has recently indicat
Of that she hopes TO be prepared shOri
var To begin reducing her debt. Trcasu
me. officials are of the opinion that WI
in the British government does begin
in settle up, the debt will he quicf
be- wiped out France, according to u
an governments information may not
re- IN positiOn to pay for good viii
ork The same is true of Italy, ana
-ent course there is small expectation Il
S. Belgium will be ready to return
and cash that was advanced u Nei
the some time.
ldry Apparently there Is no liiciiii"'
he either in the executive department
in the legislative department of I
ont government TO crowd any OF the
mos ernments that received cash Tor '
zone purposes. To the contrary, the prev
g in ing view appears to be that the Uni
com. States should be willing to wait u
tries the countries can pay without feel
cad the pinch too keenly. 1t is recalled
q of this connection that when, during
,erv- most critical stages of the war;
oval limited States was called on TO adva
now cash in such large sums the policy
rails heartily approved by the people OF
that United States.
work In some quarters tiieie "",
COM or less criticism of the action OF