The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1922-08-04
Proposal to
Cancel Debt
Draws Fire
Borah Declares Remuneration
Of War Obligations Must
Be Preceded by Euro.
pean Disarmament.
Note Aimed at America

Washington. Aug. 3.-(By A. F.,
Great Britain's suggestion for can
collation. OF war debts drew a sharI
attack from Senator Borah OF Idaho
republican. member OF the senate
foreign relations committee and
leader of the senate 'irreconeilable'
wing. who issued statement dcclar-
ing emphatically that any debt re
nunciation would have TO be preceded
by European disarmament. Senator
Borah said the Balfour note TO the
allied nations, which has been con-
strued in some quarters as contain
ing such suggestion. really was in
tended for the United States.
The American people could never
be greatly interested in any propo-
sition for the cancellation of any part
OF the debt to the United States un-
less the proposition is accompanied
by a definite and specific plan sup
ported by certain guarantees for
practical disarmament. both by land
and sea-" Senator Borah asserted,
adding that the disarmament pro-
gram OF the Washington arms confer
ence had been halted and crushed"
Disarmament Not Mentioned.
Assuming. for the purpose of
this statement" he said, that there
will come a time when the United
States will consider the proposition
OF canceling a part or all of the for
eign debt. take it that that time will
never come during the program as is
now suggested There is one thing
in all this discussion from abroad
relative to cancelling the foreign
debt which is never mentioned, and
that is the subject of disarmament.
There is nothing to be gained by
our cancelling this debt, or any part
OF it, if the gigantic military and
armament programs in Europe are
to continue. 1t would amount in
practical effect to our aiding and
abetting the building up of these
great military and armament estab-
lishments. and thereby abetting war.
II cancellation is to be considered at
all, it should be considered in the in
terest of humanity, of economic
sanity.
within the last week, the pre-
mier CT England has declared:
Keep your eye on what is happen
ing. They (the nations of Europe)
are constructing more terrible ma
chimes than even the late war ever
saw. What for? Not for peace.
They are not even to disperse
armies, they are to attack cities un-
armed where you have detenseless
population
The Washington conference ad-
iourned last February. The senate
OF the United States ratified the
treaties, l think, in April. The treat.
les are vet, however, to be considered
by foreign countries. l observe by
the press dispatch that the assembly
in France has adjourned and that
these treaties will not even be con-
s;dered before October. They were
not 50 much as considered by the
committee, according to the same
dispatch.
Spirit of Move Crushed.
And even if they are ratified ultl-
mately, the spirit of the movement
has been crushed and the great cause
OF disarmament halted and scotched
by the delay and utter loss OF interest
in the proposition. In the meantime,
every effort is being made in this this
country in certain quarters to revive
the war spirit. People who have great
interest in disarmament and peace are
denounced by those in authority.
"Any scheme for' the cancellation
of debts which does not disclose De-
yond question that it will result IN re.
in the interest of peace but in the in
terest of war, and not in the interest
OF humanity, but in the interest OF
murder"