Evening star., 1921-02-17
Editorial Digest
War Debts and Altruism.


Where Is a touch Of humor," says the
Spokane Spokesman Review Gndepend-
ent republican,, :in the British sugges-
tion that the United States Join in a
general writing off of all interallied
loans," and while the rest of the Ameri-
can press may not consider the PROPOSE
tion laughing matter it certainly has
| refused to take it seriously. A few
writer's make the suggestion, however.
that America agree to wipe the slate
clean If the foreign powers agree to
disarmament. Although some grant the
British argument that John Bulls plan
is really based upon altrusm, since he
owes less than is owed to him. most
editors call attention to the fact that
many of the debts to Britain, like that
of Russia, are bad anyhow, while
others point out that the allies are
pretty we'll loaded down with the
"spoils of war in which the United
States did not share.
No practical statesman would care to
support a policy of cancellation "as
matters now stand" declares the Roch-
ester Times Union independent, but
good business to recognize the inabil-
ity of Europe to meet its obligations"
in which case there should be 'conces-
sions from the other side" such as a
"illlI6uSSS NO QlSaTn ana keep the
peace" The New Haven Journai-Cou-
rier independently speaks with even more
emphasis: There is no reason in the
world it believes, to cancel the debts
as an act of charity, but there is every
sound reason in the world why we
should do So if our creditors will pool
the resultant power in advancing the
world to a basis of avowed peace CO.
operation by means OF disarmament"
At present, however, the Baltimore
Sun independent democratic) thinks
the situation demands that "the
United States should not offer to can
Gel these debts, unless itican secure
certain guarantees from the debtor
nations. and it is not in a position TO
exact those guarantees"
The Port Huron (Mich.) Times
Herald independently considers that
though we are still too near the
war now. possibly few years
hence this nation will look with
greater favor on forgiveness of in
debtedness." The JohnstoWn Demo-
crat (democratic). like most of it's
contemporaries, disagrees with this
view. "Britain's magnanimity is pro-
verbal" it remarks, but Mr.. Cham
berlain omitted the advantages which
Britain was prepared to forego.
There is an impression abroad that
she Jared rather well in the division
OF spoils."
Looking at it from this angle. the
Springfield Republican independently
ventures the assertion that america
is pretty well skinned" already, and:
''Britain's crop is gorged with former
German territory in Africa and the
Pacific, while her jurisdiction has
been much extended in Asia Minor.
She has oil-blessed Mesopotamia.
Persia is virtually under her control.
France has likewise enormously ex-
tended her colonial empire, and SO
has Italy. America has nothing; she
cannot even lay claim to the little
island of Yap."
Since we asked for and got nothing
''in the way of territory or repara-
tions" there seems to be mo good
reason why the United States should
consent to cancellation of the debts
of it's allies" in the opinion of the
ent), and the Ann Arbor (Mich.)
Times-News independently declares
that ''our debtors might just as well
understand now that the debts will
never be Cancelled"
The Knoxville Sentinel (independ
ent democratic) reflects a popular
view when it remarks that "the
American taxpayer is patient and
long suffering animal, but we fancy
he would develop q disposition to
buck up to some purpose against a
proposition to add ten million to the
burden already on his back" The
Wichita Beacon independently sees in
the rich tracts of territory" and
"protectorates" in oil and mineral
bearing countries sufficient argu-
ment against the plea that America
is under such moral obligation to her
former allies, and the Omaha News
independently considers that Great
quisitions far outbalancing their
financial losses"