Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1921-02-21

May Take
West Indies
Question of Acquiring Posses
sions in Payment for British
War Debt to Come Up
In Senate.
Reed Back Of Movement
Chicago Tribune Omaha bee Leased Wire.
By ARTHUR SEARS HENNING.


Washington ID. C,,aFeb. 20. The
proposal that the United States pW-
chase from Grea, Britain the British
| West Indies for S4.277,000,000, the
amount OF the American war loan to
| England, is to be discussed in the
senate this week.
Senator Reed OF Missouri has IN
| troduced a resolution providing that
the executive be requested to aseer-
/ tain from the London government
whether Great Britain is willing 10
consider the cession OF the islands
I to the United States and he stated
tonight that he would address the
senate on the measure within few
days.
The RESOLUTION says nothing about
forgiving the British debt to the
American government, but this is OK
actly what Senator Reed had in mind
in proposing that England be sound
ed on the question of parting with
the islands. If the suggestion should
bear fruit, England would ccde to
the United States six archipelagocs
off fhc south Atlantic coast of this
countryland the United States would
cancel the British Indebtedness.
Salvage from Loss.
The question as it now presents
itself, is one Of arranging for SONS
salvage from what may become
total loss to the United State.
Whether America will be repaid in
full or even in large part for the
loans TO the allies totaling nearly
Sl0000,000,000, is matter which is
being debated at home and abroad.
No interest has been paid on the
leans, even by Great Britain, for
nearly two years; negotiations for
the refunding of the borrowings
over a long period are in progress
and the principal allies are actively
urging the cancellation of all the in
ternational war loans as means Of
quickly restoring the credit oi
European nations.
Great Britain itself has taken the
leadership i'll the movement for car
collation. of the leans. having sound
CO the United States definitely on the
proposition, though unsucccssfully
up to date. 1t is conceived that
England will renew the petitions un-
der the Harding administration and
IT is also conceived that develop
irents i'll international affairs event
ua1ly will force the cancellation oi
the debt to tins country.
Quotes Monroe Doctrine.
In such contingency the cession
to the United States of the British
and French islands OH this side OF
the Atlantic would constitute salvage
and consideration for the cancclla,
ton of the allied debt. =
Senator Reed will tell the senate
that the application OF the principle
of the Monroe doctrine and stratc-
gic considerations make it desirable
that all the islands lying off the
American coast should be under
American control. The West Indian
possessions OF several European ma
tions not only flank the American
coast, but command the. approaches
to the Panama canal.
The British island Of Birnini is so
close that long range guns thereon
could shell Miami, it is asserted.
While war with Great Britain
is regarded as untllinkable, a sound
policy of defence would take no
chances, it is contended, with any
control OF these strategic points By
another power. 1t was such consider
alton that prompted the United
States to purchase the Virgin islands
from Denmark for S25,000,000 and
thus forestall any sale of the islands
to another European power, Ger
many having already attempted t.
purchase them.