The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1921-02-22
TAKE ISLANDS
FOR DEBT,|DEA
OF BEVERIDCE
Proposes England and France
Cede North and South Am
erican Possessions, Except
ing Canada.
FLAyS PR0PACANDISTS
SPECIAL


NEW. YORK, Feb. 22.-That Eng
land and France cede their North and
South American possessions, with the
exception of Canada, to the United
States in partial payment of their gi-
gantic debts to this country, was the
startling proposal advanced this morn
ing by Senator Albert J. Beveridge in
tis Washngton's birthday address at
Carnegie Hall.
On this point Mr.. Beveridge in part
said: Consider the following sugges-
tion, offered with hesitation and only
as a possible way out; for if some
other method is not devised, America
loans to European nations will never
be cancelled except by payment in full
and payment in money.
Britain Strengthened.
I'VE loaned to Great Britain about
$4,000. 100000, all but one-eighteenth
of which she re-loaned to her allies; p;
and in addition, we also loaned to them
as much again as we loaned to Great
Britain. AS spoils of war Great Brit,
ain acquired the most extensive terri,
torial accessions in the history of con-
quest while the other leading nations
at war with Germany, excepting only
the United States, vastly extended
their territorial possessions. Moreover,
Great Britain's hold on the world S
trade is greatly strengthened, While
Americas situation as to foreign com
merce is desperate.
Great Britain owns most of the
West IndieS-that chain of islands that
guard the Gulf of Mexico; she also
owns the Bermudas on our southeast
and a small but strategic part of Cen
trail America, called British Honduras
None of these possessions are of the
slightest value to her except as naval
stations; and, even as naval stations
they are of no use to her except as
bases for attack upon us. which is, OF
course, unthinka BILE. Put these posses
sions are worth considerable to us as
outposts of defense.
Exchange Beneficial. e
Would it not be wise for Great Brit.
ain to reduce her debt by transferring
10 the United States these essentially
md naturally American islands, and
Ter holdings in Central America
Would not such an exchange go far to
quiet mutually hostile clamor and to
strengthen mutual trust and esteem?
France, like Great Britain, has a
" tuo
Of her mighty and triumphant ally
The most extensive and profitable ag
gregation of dependencies on earth, in
area much larger than the United
States, including all our territories and
possessions. insignificant items of hel
colonial possessions are her West In
dian islands. part of the chain most OF
which Great Britain owns.
Urges Relief.
Would it not be good policy to can
Gel part of our loans to our sister re
public in exchange for Martinique
GUadeloupe and ST Martin? Would il
rot relieve Frances monetary distress
raise her purchasing power and save
her self-rcspect which shrinks from
the thought of accepting alms?'
The present situation regarding the
foreign propaganda pest was contrast
cd by Mr.. BevCridge to the similar con
GitiOn George Washington so courage
ously grappled. He said, AT no time
have the weH-being and security of the
United States more thoroughly re
duired that every citizen of the repub
lie shall be American, wholly Ameri
can and nothing but American-ex
clusively American in thought exclu
sively American in body, mind ant
soul, heart so ovortoWln,,, with patrl
otic devotion that it can hold no othe,
love.
Propogandists Busy.
"Swarms of foreign propa gandist:
are creeping all over America. deliver
ing lectures, preaching sermons, Civ
ing interviews, writing articles, caiol
ing those deemed influential will
American public sentiment. They in
fest American journalism. are nvad
ing American universities, have cap
tured a section of that small hu
rotent group called American SOC
iety" Worst of all. our common
schools are being made culture bed
Of non-AmeriCan ideas.
school histories have been writer
for our children which not only sup
PRESS or misstate vital facts, but act
ualIy set forth as historical truths, re
Continued from Page Twelve.)