The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1921-03-04
SHOULD WAR DEBTS BE
CAEcEILEDr

William J. Bryan land Austen
Chamberlain, British chancellor Of
the exchequer. seem to he of the
same opinion as to yhat should be
done with the inter-allid war debts.
Both weuld wipe out the debts with
a sponge, much as that Missouri
statesman, Richard A. Bland, some
years ago proposed that we should
wipe out our own national debt. Mr..
Chamberlain reveals the fact that
about a year ago the British govern
ment formally proposed such a can
collation., but that the proposal fell
through because 1t was unacceptable
to the American government. 1nci-
dentally, he makes it appear that
Uncle Sam is playing far less chiv-
alric role than is John Bull, in that
the British woud have foregone
claims much larger than any remit
ted to them, seeking no national
advantage and believing the proposal
would be in the interest Of good re-
lations among the allied peoples, the
rehabilitation Of national credit and
the restoration of internatioa trade.
The sum total of these inter-allied
debs is estimated at about sixty bill
lion dollars. This, by an odd coinci
dence, is just about the total de-
manded from Germany by way Of
reparations. Whatever money Ger
many 'lent" to her allies, Turkey
Anstria-Hungary ana Bulgaria, She
has perforce forgiven them. Ger
many's own war costs probably en-
ceeding by two to one the war ex-
penditures of France. Britain Or AMI
erica, We're raised by taxation and by
loans floated among her own people.
In addition to the nearly ten bill
lions of dollars enl TO the allies by
the United States. onr people sub
scribeu literally to French, British,
Italian and Belgian war loans. while
our own war loans came entirely out
OF the pockets OF our own people.
We have shown no disposition to
press our European debtors. On the
contrary. We have deferred for three
years the payment OF the fiji st year ;
interest and shown a disposition to
grant further time if needed. 1t is
to be taken into account, however.
that the actual war expenditure OF
the United States during our nine
teen months OF participation in the
conflict was nearly double the ac-
tual experience OF France during the
entire 81 months OF the war. Our
industries are today staggering I'M
der an unprecedented burden of tan
alto imposed by that expenditure.
There is no doubt that, in so far as
the wiping out OF the inter-allies
debts would help to Bring about re-
Mobilization Of international trade,
America would benefit in the long
run. Accepting Mr.. Chamberlain
assertion that Britain would lose
more than she would gain by the OPP
Grafton, it is clear that France would
be enormously helped And remem-
bering how enormously France s
manhood sacrifice in the war out
weighs that of any other of the al
lies and remembering Frances press
ing need for help at this very mo-
meut, no one can doubt Ter claims
on our fullest consideration
But While we are forgiving debts.
let us be forgiyins all round. France
owes to Great Britain and the Uni
ted States some ten billions Of dol
lars. Ii France is forgiven ten bill
lions of debts ny the allies. would
she he willing 10 reduce her bill
against Germany by a Ike amount?
And il not. Why not? Literary Di-
@eSt