The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1921-03-25
WASHlEGT L.ETeEa
THE 'ERALD'S HINGLISH HIDEA

IA
Washington, March 21.-"In :
very clever and somewhat persua
sive editorial, the Washington Herald
favors the cancellation of debts du,
from European countries to the
United States," says the Republican
Publicity association, through its
President, Hon. Jonathan Bourne
Jr. "Under the title, The Fly in the
Ointment the Herald makes a dis
play of pointing out some of the in
terests of the United States. 1t shows
that foreign governments owe the
United States $9,7O6,O 100000 while
Great Britain's credits are only
$8,415, 100000, not counting debts
owed by her Dominions to the Mother
Country. America would sacrifice
more than Britain, therefore, by a
cancellation of debts.
"After setting forth these facts
the Herald makes two points that are
designed to create a favorable i'm
preston of the proposal to cancel the
debts. The editor says that world
exchange of goods and world indus
try would have tremendous impulse
toward normally and, in order to
give the impression that the idea of
cancellation is in harmony with
President Harding's use of that word,
the editor says, 'We thank thee, War
rem, for that word The Herald
also quotes from the Lords Prayer.
'Forgive us our debts as we forgive
our debtors,' thus appealing to re-
ligious sentiment in an effort to
create favorable inclination toward
cancellation.
after presenting what it would
leave its readers to believe was fair
statement of objections to the can
celation scheme, the Herald says,
yet it may not be wise, as we'll as
noble, for this government to join in
this proposal as the worlds good
angel. 1t may be practical altruism
in that it would revive trade, it would
lower exchange rates, it would re-
store fairly stable financial condi-
tions and so would provide a great
market for all our surplus of foods
and raw materials
"The rank unfairness of the
Herald's statement of the problem
will be readily manifest to any one
who will take time to analyze the in
ternational situation. The ledger &C
counts in the financial records of the
United States and Great Britain do
not tell the whole story. Great
| Britain has not only been accorded
reparations from Germany but wa;
enabled through the provisions OF
the peace treaty and the subsequent
actions of the League of Nations tc
extend her influence in Egypt anc
Mesopotamia and to gain absolute
control over German East Africa anC
German Southwest Africa, the for
mer equal in area and richness of ma
tural resources to the entire South
eastern section of the United States
Not one word concerning these ac
quisitions of Great Britain is founC
in the Herald's presentation of the
| SdHSeldtlOil quCotlOii' lNCiIiSI, III III
search of Scriptures for a quotation
to bolster up its arguments, did the
editor chance upon, Render unto
Caesar the things that are Caesars.
Neither did the Herald deem it ap
propriate to quote from remarks b!
Mr.. Harding indicating his opinion
that the European debts to the
United States should be paid.
"Other important facts concerning
the effect of cancellation of Euro
pean indebtedness are also conspicu
Gus by absence from the Herald's dis
cussion. 1t fails to remark that il
the United States cancels nearly
SO, 0,00O,000,OOO of European obliga
tions that $1O,OOO,000,OO0 burder
will fall squarely upon the taxpayer
of the United States, which means
the producers of the country who ul
timately bear every tax burden. l
is undoubtedly true that cancellation
would revive trade, for lifting a $40,
| 000,000,000 debt from the people o
Europe would relieve them of take
and enable them to shift thei
finances to channels of industry, thu
assisting them in recapturing or ex
tending their South American, Asi
attic and even their North American