New-York tribune., 1921-03-01
Favors
Cancellation
/ OF Allied Debt
Next Naval Secretary Holds
Move Economically Sound
and Likely TO Promote
Easier World Conditions
Recalls Boxer Precedent
loung Aviation Officer Con
| tributes Expert Advice on
How to Run Department
By Carter Field

WASHINGTON, Feb. Is. At least
&sre member Of Prcsident-clcct Har.
kding's Cabinet is vigorously in favor of
his country cancelins every dollar
q. Allied Indebtedness to the United
States. Edwin Denly, who will be Sec.
,stsry OF the Navy, would write the
|so,ooo, 100000 debt Off at once.
Il is no new conviction on his part.
/ lie told the writer. riding up from st.
Augustine sitter his appointment as
! Naval Secretary had been announced
Esy Mr.. Harding. Nor does he intend
/ to embarrass the Harding Administra-
! ton by anything he may wish 70 do
slong this line. But he has no doubt
Iu lis economic soundncss, nor that it
would be good policy in the long run.
Incidentally. while waiting for the
vain, Mr.. Derby got some of the
issnkest advice on the Navy Depart
nent he is likely to get even if his
administration should run as long a.,
tia. Of Josephus Daniels-eight years.
"SSe'He I" pNsiS'' >SSVHu llcutenHOl OF
The marines flying corps. he made some
casual inquiries about aviation.
Gets Points on Air Bureau
oh, there ought to be a separate de-
partmcnt of sviatlon,' the boy said
With great tnality. There 5 no doubt
stcut that. We haven't enough planes.
ard those We have arc limited as to
types, as 1t Is. Ii the air services were
all cmoined under one head we would
nave more experience in the air. and
with al the kinds OF machines which
Vt might be likely to use in war"
Perhaps it would be difficult to re-
r-ake the service to suit individuals. ;"
commented Mr.. DENLY, keeping his face
straight with dificulty-he smiles very
easily. anyhow.
oh. all I'm thinking about is getting
more flying for the aviation officers and
improving the service, don't care if
Pm the junior second lieutenant in .hc
whole outfit after it's combined"
Mr.. penby seemed impressed with the
ioes OF a separate air service, even if
the advice he had just received did
involve taking all control of a service
III which he is very much interested
from him. logical development of the
Plan which evidently had not occurred
70 the young lieutenant.
Cancellation No New idea
Getting back to cancellation Of the
Allied loans, Mr.. DENLY has preached
his gospel wherever he has had
chance. He decided to run for Gov
ernor OF Michigan last year, and his
Chief purpose was TO make the cam
paign solely on the issue OF canceling
tie loans, in the hope that this would
attract the attention Of the country to
ne issue.
At the time ne not on'y made
speeches in favor of this step in Michi-
gan. but spoke to big meetings OF bust
ness men iii Chicago and in Indiana,
Urging Il. He says many business
men, after hearing the arguments pro
and con, have told him they agreed
With him.
"If every ono could realize what was
accomplished for this country by the
cancellation Of the Boxer indemnities,'
Mr.. Denby said, perhaps there would
De q different attitude toward the pres
ent debt of Europe to Us. The Ameri-
can share OF the Boxer indemnity was
only a few million dollars. but the
gratitude Of the Chinese was prodlg
lous. and curiously enough it has
oeen growing ever since"
Mr. Denby thinks that cancellation
OF the debts would go 4 long way tow
ard settling the present disturbed con-
dltlons throughout the world.