The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1921-02-22
WEST INDIES
A GOOD BUY
RESOLUTION REQUESTS THAT
PRESIDENT ASCERTAIN IF
BRITAIN Is WILLING TO
CEDE ISLANDS

Washington, d. c., Feb. 22.-The
proposal that the United States pur-
chase from Great Britain the Brit
ish West Indies for s4,277,OOO,OOO
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 chief executive be requested to
ascertain from the London govern
ment whether Great Britain is will
ing TO consider the cession of the
islands to the United States, and he
stated tonight that he would address
the senate on the measure within a
few days The resolution says moth
ing about forgtving the British debt
10 The American government, but
this is exactly what Senator Reed
had in mind in proposing that Eng
land be sounded on the question of
parting with the islands. If the
suggestion should bear fruit Eng
land would cede to the United States
the siv archipelagoes off the south
Atlantic coast of this country and
the United States would cancel the
British Indebtedness.
The question as it now presents
itself is one of arranging for some
salvage from what may become a
total loss to the United States.
Whether America will be paid in
full or even in large part for the
loans tothe allies totaling nearly
SIC, 100000, lisa matter which
is being debated at home and
abroad. No interest has been paid
on the loans, even by Great Britain,
for nearly two years, negotiations
for the refunding of the borrowing
over a long period are in progress
and the principal allies are actively
urging the cancellation of all the
International war loans as means
of quickly restoring the credit of
European nations.
Great Britain itself has taken the
leadership in the movement for can
collation. of the loans, having sound
ed the United States definitely on
the proposition, though unsuccess-
fully up to date. 1t is conceived
that England will renew the repre-
sentations under the Harding ad-
ministration and it is also conceived
that developments in international
affairs eventually may force the can
collation. of the debt to this country.
In such a contingency the cession
to the United States of the British
and French islands on this side of
the Atlantic would constitute salvage
and consideration for the cancella-
tion of the allied debt.
Senator Reed will tell the senate
that the application of the principle
of the Monroe doctrine and strategic
make it desirable that
all the islands lying off the Ameri-
cancoast should be under American
control. The West Indian possess
sions of several European nations
not only flank the American coast,
but command the approaches to the
Panama canal.
The British island of Bahuma Is
so close that long range guns there
on could shell Miami, it is asserted.
While war with Great Britain is re-
garded as unthinkable, a sound po-
licy of defense would take no
chances, it is contended, with any
control of these strategic points by
another power. 1t was such con-
siderations that prompted the Unit
ed States to purchase the Virgin is
lands from Denmark for $25,000,-
900 and thus forestall any sale OF
the islands to another European
power, Germany having already at
tempted to purchase them.
Whether the British government
would be disposed to part with the
British West Indies in considera-
tion of cancellation of the loan ap-
pears to be question. When w. G.
McAdoo proposed such bargain a
year ago British statesmen said II
would mot be considered seriously
and protests emanated from some
of the islands. Since the introduc-
tion of the Reed resolution the pro-
position has been spurned in Lon
don