Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-02-07
A MATTER or BUSINESS.

The American government acted wisely IN de-
cning the British proposition for the eahcei''ot'
of all inter allied debts. .,..,J
According to j. Austen Chamberlain oFl'ls"
chancellor of the exchequer IN d statement 't'D
nv him Friday Great Britan's motives in making
tbe nronosal were not those of selfishness or Oh
desire to secure any national advantage but merely
TO promote good relations between nations i
Mr. Chamberlain may be good flhaheler' ou'
we fear that he is poor psychologist
No one of course, questions Great BrltalhS mo
lives But the best way to preserve good fela1ohs
hot,,een nations as between individuals, IS 1of an
hands to nav their just debts Unless international
dealings are on a business-like basis suspicion anu
tlfeeling are bound to ensue Human nature 10 %
built. ,..o,,o4ton
The contention of the advocates OF canceHauoh
IS that the other allies suffered more than the
Ir,,ted states during the This is true but 1t Is
eanaly true that the war, after ALL grew out u
European conditions-conditions mat couu i"S
been remedied by some of the allied hatlohs Cleih
1,,os had they had the foresight. For forty years
Great Britain allowed German mlAtaflSm 10 Cru"
in strength. For decade after decaoe Tue ii'i'
,,rrps yere permted to rule races utterly dleFehI
and even hostile-Italians Czechs, Magyafs' l'"-
y thenians and Poles For centuries the ihalis"a
Turk was allowed to cast his shadow over sou'l-
eastern Europe for to drive him across the boS-
porus might disturb that antquateu' laluouS "
tion of a balance of power
We are not censuring the allies. for they Wpeu
out in blood their blunders Of centuries but VIZ
Az contend that since they had what the law
tar,ns sthe last clear chance" of avoiding world
wide conflagraton, they, and not distant nelsh-
IN sbould hear the brunt of the expense OF the
war when it did come.
Furthermore every nation in the alliance mas
1oft This war with more reimbursement than mas
been received by the United States France ltaiS
Belgium yes and Great Britain also, all VIII re
caive or have received substantial roparatlons II
some form or another-either in territorial acele
tons indemnities enlarged spheres OIL lhllu
ence."
The United States will not ask for anything ant
does not want anything out of this war 1t merely
expects that allies will pay their DEBTS America
also sent men to France, and many were slain
There were not so many Americans kllleu ID
+here were British or French Italians bu
neither was the fight at our back door II GU
geographical location such that we were threat
onad later than our allies, the fault is not ours
They fought a war of sef-defense; so did we 1h
need for defense came later to us than 1t dld u
them When the need did come, we met 1t a
promptly and as valiantly as they. There can be II
determinations about this now.
If the allies need time, they should be above
to have it. because one wants to see the1
barkrupted We too have our postwar troubles
biph taxes and industrial troubles-but we ca
stand the wait better than they can
But to sbid them tear the bond would be tn
height of folly of hysteria and of maudhh sent
mentality.