Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-07-19
i. 5. PAYS BRITAIN
ENORMOUS SUMS
$32,0O0,0O0 Recently Given
Though War Obligations
Languish
WILSON'S LETTER
WILSON'S LETTER
Mellon Has Free Hand in Settling
Foreign Claims Within Five Years
-Houst0n's Viewpoint.

/ Washington, July l9.-No chico
| J;n TO fiua-ya!ar limitation on the
blanket authority to the Secretary of
',,..1a Treasury IN the matter Of refund
ing the fcge!2n Indebtedness Of the
Upi;I:d .ssaIuets was cfGerei tcday by
:SSoltetapy MeJ,ccl, whsn HE again APP
rs.i2hsd befclIc the Senate Finance Com
mj..tee But he jrisilsted that there
shc;uld he mo Congressional restriction
cr interference lin t'he negotiations.
Incidentally the Secretary Admit
ted THAT despite THE fact that Great
Britain GIVES the Ur&ad States mere
han $5.GOO,OOO,OO0, more than $780,
100000 had been paid that country
from the Un5ted States Treasury for
services in transporting troops With
IN The past few days.
This paynEent was aftesward refer-
red to IN scathing tennis ON the floor
CT the Senate by Senator W:iI.iam +.
Borah and p1tac3pitated q general Sen
atcr;ial debate. THIS had as its eli
max tn READING into the Congress
s.onal Record by Senator Lodge. the
Republican lealth, of two letters on
me suject Of the t'onc'agn loans.
One waa from fcrmar President
W'oodtcw Wilson and the either from
H0uN7ton. Both staiutel .emphatica:ly
fclmer Secretary Of the Treasury
thz,t the United Se:1tas Government
wal7lt. nu. sig&ce TO proposals 1cf the.
cssnGe l.aa'2a &aJi remission CT debts put
f'Cf.'w.nd by Great Britain ara ether
fct5igla governments.
The United St.tles Government -
met prapeeed ITO consery to TILE re-
mission of any part cf the debt OF
G.5at Britain TO Nhc United States,
Mr.. Wfl1scn Wrote to PI.mic~ lloyd
(SacNcia IN October of last ye.i:.
1T is desirable that cur pca:t'ca be
Clearly understood n order to avoid
any further tgeyay in constructive SET
tlemcrt Of mspa!uatlons which may
s.'se from the hope that the dets Of
rFljs government can forHn pa:t CT
such sctt!ement," Mr.. Wilson stated
IN his g2.:.ter TO the British Premier.
1t is h.eh'.y improbable that either
Ccrgucss en- popular opinion in this
a3unnry will cvar permit cance!ta-
ton cf any part of thed debt CT the
ByTt;sh Government to, the United
States ,jr ORDER to induce the BH:p.sh
Government to ntcmit, In whcEe or N
part, THE debt TO Great Britain OF
Fuance on arsy either OF the Allied gov
eY,nlalt7s, or that Vt would consent to
the cancellation or reduction IN The
lcbts Of any elf the Allied governments
pa an lnllucecnant toward a practical
settlement cl' yh2 reparauicn claims.
AS a martr of fact. such settlement
in cur Judgment. woG1.d in itself m
crease TIE ul.imalte financ32! strength
of cue Allies.
1T is felt that the funr''"g Of '.h.asa
! demand Obligations OF the British Cow
ernms,it win do more to strengthen
ahe fitierG.y relat31ons between Anne
l!ca and Gneat Britain than wou.i
.,,v othsr course dealing with the
:2me," Mr.. WILSON wrote.
/ "TEe long delay which has occurred
IN the fuqalthg c'f the demand ob:Ega-
tons is already embarrassing the
Treasury, which wa. find itself COM
pellgd to collect back and current inter
est If speedy prpgrlass is not made
with the funding" Mr.. Wilson also
Informed Lloyd George.
"Unless arrangements are completed
for funding such leans, and IN thar
cce,nactfon fer the defearirg of IN
He7est. IN the prsser5 opinion. hare,
there is likely to develop a serious
misunderstanding. I believe vt 10 be
higa.v snpcraarst that a British rep
,.ie.sertaltiF'e with proper authority
4 ntcceed to Washington Ntthcut de-
! 7av to arrange to carry cut the cb
Y.gagr,rg eff the British Government
70 convert Us demand cbiigay:chs held
by cur Treasury into larlg-tIna CD
legations"
In his letter of rejection to the
British CHANCELLOR, Secretary Houston
declared that the proposition he ad-
ICantinnad On Pare Fiyel