The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1921-03-05
SUGGESTS 4 TRADE

chicago Tribune thinks It has
-.on a plan whereby European
which are deeply indebted "a
-, sa Uuitsd States could discharge
AIR obligations without expense 70
,ssmssIvss, 50 to say.
,m. rood many others. the Chi
,swspaper sees little chance OF
Ne wartime borrowers of Europe
y. neIug able to pay their debts. SO
-.-.ssts a trade. An honest So
49,. Of the problem. it believes,
n the transfer of sovereignty In
:. West indies. Great Britain might
-. ms the British islands on the
m.rcan coasts for the s4,227.ooo.-
aao .hs owes the United States; and
vr..ce could satisfy at least a sub
.,,utial part of her Indebtedness
nth the French West Indies.
.war debts to the United States"
the article. ARE honest debts
- shouId be- honestly paid. A trade
..,h as is suggested would relieve a
.tuation pregnant with possibilities
# internal friction and international
.~o,,royersy. 1t would be a good
,,.as. because 1t has in it advantages
ar every one concerned in It,"
Among the advantages to the Uni
,.a States would be the removal from
,,sat nations in another hemisphere
A. control Of a potential ring Of naval
h.sss. The advantages to England
and France would lie in the fact that
thsir taxpayers would be relieved Of
financial burden. Moreover under
ths supervision of the United States.
the inhabitants of the islands would
hs made increasingly and permanent
~ prosperous"
The British domain In the West In
dies aggregates $4,000 square miles.
Jamaica, the largest of the depend
eucies, lies directly in the American
trade route to Panama. At Kings
ton. it, capital, a naval base Is main
tanned. 1t was In the Bahamas that
confederate blockade runners found
refuge during the war between the
States. The British holdings also in
cluds the Bermudas. the Barbados
and several lesser groups.
The French control st. Bartholo-
new, Cuadeloupe, Martinique and
one-half Of St. Martin. OF these,
Martinique is the most important. Its
capital being the fortified town of
Fort De France. There the French
also maintain a naval station.
The Chicago paper thinks that for
political and geographic reasons all
these Islands should be amalgamated
with the United States. since they lie
contiguous to u coasts and their
trade is almost wholly with the Uni
ted States. Their possession by the
British and French has never been
profitable to either nation, for in
times Of peace their revenues have
barely me the cost OF administration
and In wartime their fertilization
and protection have proved q heavy
expense.
Amalgamation would round out
our frontier. giving US coinciding po-
litical and economic boundaries, OBJ
serves the Tribune. 1t would bring
under the American flag or protec-
ton all Of the islands of the West In
dian group except a few small Dutch
possessions. II would remove from
our doorstep what might become a
great menace to our coasts. to our
Panama canal and to u interests In
Central America and South America.
That the Chicago Tribune's sug-
sestion is worthy of consideration
there Is no doubt, but there is a doubt
amounts to a certainty that 1t
viii not receive that consideration.
The surrender Of territory Is never a
topic. especially with nations
imperialistic views such as obtain
n France and Great Britain. where
possessions aud a colonial
polly seem to be regarded as the
very basis of national prosperity and
power.
That the plan would provide an av-
snus for the repayment Of our loans
70 the European allies Is undoubtedly
true, but We do not think that either
Britain OIL France or even very
many thinking people In this country