The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-10-04
War Debts
Not Included
Efforts to Include Interna-
tional Financial Discus
sion in Conference
Agenda Not Favored.
by DAVID LAwR1No1.
,coryriEht by Tte In:el!gencer)

Wash.ngton. October 3.-Eerorts and
rur,~-s Keep recurring that coincident
with the armament conference there
VIII T. a gathering Of tnanclers o. a"
tic rowerS 20 >et:,c III" question OF war
deh.S. Department "t state "tncia'S
today pronounced these stories as WIN
out foundation 30 far as THIS govern
mont Is concerned.
oEverytEinr under the sun would BE-
discussed IL all the suggestions being
made were To We acted upon. in the opin-
ION Cf government officials who point
cut that :he aScnIa already made pup
lie indicates the scope OF the conference
There ~ evidence that the information
al francirrS Of European countries are
behind the constant suggestion OF
francia, Farley although. TO be sure.
some American bankers are reported as
interested This. however. is taken
here 10 mean that European fnanciers
are ursins action through their Amer
,can connections For the fact is tho
American banking groups as such have
rot asked our government 70 convene
a financial conference and there Is little
likelihood tha, such suggestion
would meet with favor.
Act concnrrSnt1y
MANY reasons can be given for the
prevalence Of this attitude. First.
, there was = good dea. OF criticism when
our government included Far Eastern
problems in Il discussion OF armament
limitation. some members OF the cab
Ine, feared that 10 include so trouble
some a question as relations with Japan
might involve the conference in endless
discussion which would only force into
the BACKGROUND the real object OF the
gathering, namely. reduction OF arm.
ament This viewpoint has been
answered by Secretary Hughes by ar
ranging the aSenda so that discussion
OF armament will go on concurrcn:ly
with the tackling OF Pacific problems
In other words committees Will work
on all Parts OF the agenda at the same
time and the reports will be taken up
In no set order.
As for Including financial questions,
the feeling Is that the agenda OF tho
conference already bites on as much
as Il can chew" and that to lug In the
Intricate subject of war debts might
only produce anita agonismS and dlsap-
pointmen;s which might AFFECT the sue
cess Of the other conferences. Euro
pean nations may not as yet be con-
vlnced OF II but tho truth Is cur govern
ment Is not IN the mood TO talk cancel.
lation OF war debts or even general
funding scheme. however sound econ
om!cally the basis for such action might
be. A glance at what 10 happening In
congress. It Is contended. ought to sat-
lsfy the European t1nanciers President
Harding's simple request for power 10
negotiate with foreign governments Tor
the payment of principal and interest
owed US Is held up largely because OF
q suspicion that such power II granted
nigh. enable tho executive to cancel
the debts through acceptance OF Euro
pean securities OF doubtful value. II.
therefore. this power isn't granted now
how much chance would there be 70 get
II II tho European countries stirred up
tho question Of cancellation OF war
debts?
1ntsrsst In war Debts
Issues Of European nswspa pers as
well as cable reports to American news
ra1ers indicate a much more lively In
teresL In the war debt In connection
with ,he Washington conference on
armament than Is welcome here. Tn
quesc!onaoiy the British and French del
egations will be composed OF men who
will be authorized TO md out In the
most informal way wnat can be done
about funding existing Indebtedness
American oinrlaIS couid not dcCline &c
listen to suggestions when made at the
dinner table or in other informal con-
forences apart from the main program
Much business Is transacted that way
In international conferences. but judg-
Ing by the appearance OF things toda y
in ofacial quarters such advances will
not cad 10 anything tangible. The
Europeans will Re told that cancellation
IS ou, OF the question at this time and
that even the talk OF funding is prema
tu-e and will be inopportune until con.
gress grants the treasury department
sufficiently broad powers 70 enter into
negotiations with the creditor govern
mentS