The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-05-10

reparatiOn owed them by Germany, the
allies will be unable to make satisfactory
payments on the money they owe the
United States. Our government refuses
formally to recognize the relationship ana
will not consider any tranSference of the
foreign debt from the allies to the backs
of the Germans. but, nevertheless, the
Washington government is not ignoring
the relationship of Germany's payments
to the capacity of the allies to pay
America.
The Harding administration considered
seriously the embarrassing position in
which America would be placed if she
declined to use her moral force along
side the allies, when Germany made her
proposal to mediate.
If the United States had taken a pO-
sitiOn which the allies believed was en-
Couraging the Germans to evade their
obligations, it might have resulted in
sentiment among the allied governments
to the effect that America had CORE
Spondingly prevented the allies from
meeting their obligations. To collect from
the allies, in other words, it was neceS-
sary for America 10 help the allies get
their money from Germany,
Such. in brief, Is the Harding policy
and whether or not it pleases the ''ir-
recOncilable" element is something that
has by force of circumstances been made
n secondary consideration.
country BACK OF Harding.
President Harding naturally wanted
the complete support of his party but in
cases of division he must rely upon pub
quarters is that the country Is back of
Mr.. Harding in his efforts to bring about
a return of normal business conditions
He is still as insiStent as ever that the
course of our government will be so care
fully steered that involvement in Euro
will hn Ill
But against those who claim that the
participation in allied councils is a step
toward the entry of the United States
into the league of nations. the answer is
made that for the present the Harding
administration is looking at things purely
from an economic basis. To reduce taxes.
for instance. there must be more revenue
available from more sources. To make
the American people better able to pay
their taxes. they must be in a position
to make money. To make money, they
must have besides their domestic mar
kets a place to sell their goods abroad.
To sell protitably, they must put their
products within the reach of the foreign
purchaser. Until international exchange
is stabilized. wOuld-be- European pur-
chaserS cannot buy. That's the cycle of
present day economies and the Harding
administration is trying by every means
possible to bring about a sterilization of
international exchange, which, it is ex-
pcCted would be followed by a revival of
export trade and the re-opcning of Amer
lean factories, that now are shut down.
just Good Business.
The Harding administration believes
that the policy of making the Germans
pay their debt is good business policy for
America, that the assistance given the
allies by sitting in their councils prevents
any excuse that America herself is pre-
venting the allies from paying the 10
billions of dollars they owe the United
States. Sound business policy-not cam
paign politics-is back of the Harding
policy and that's why Mr. Hughes. in the
department of state and Mr. Hoover. in
the department of commerce, who are
most concerned with foreign trade are
considered the chief influences in the sit
uation, bat behind them is the practically
unanimous sentiment of the cabinet-the
secretary of the treasury, who feels that
business would be revived when Euro
pean questions are settled, the vice pres
ident, who. in a public speech. said the
prosperity of America was dependent to
a large extent on the settlement of inter
national questions. the secretary of agri-
culture, who wants to see foreign markets
for the farmers produce and so on all
along the line. It's business and not
party politics.