Evening star., 1922-08-27
BY r. b. MACAULAY.


President Sun Life Assurance Conn
pany OF Canada.
To the Editor.of the Star:
In view of the renewed interest in the
allied debts. a presentation OF the
Canadian point of view may be per-
mitted. suggest that We approach
the question with judicial mind, elm
mating sentiment, and applying to the
facts those principles which would gov
ern an American court in similar
case between individuals.
The allies and Canadians consider that
they have fought for all nations that
did not desire a kaiser-ruied world,
and that the United States. therefore,
had a stake in the war even from its
commencement. Had Germany won she
would have had control Of all Europe.
all Africa and most of Asia. She would
probably have made an alliance with
the rest of Asia. Her eyes were already
fixed covetously on South America, and
with the vast resources then at her
disposal, what would she have cared
for the Monroe doctrine? The United
States would have had to face the rest
of the world alone. I do not press this
point, however, for l do not suggest
that the United States owes anything
for the early years of the war.
begin with the day she herself declared
war, April 6, 1917.
Not Close to Fire.
Even if the United States had an in
terest from the beginning. it does not
follow that she should have acted at
once. Her people needed time to un-
derstand the issue. Her distance must
also be remembered. If fire breaks
out in a city block. the interest Of the
neighbors is in proportion to their dis
tance. The houses Immediately adjoin-
ing are in greater danger than those
a few doors removed. In this case the
confederation began in central Europe,
but at once spread to the adjoining
houses, France and Russia Between
them and the United States there were
other houses, Britain and the British
domipions.
In the absence of a league of nations
to act as general fire brigade, each ma
ton had to decide for itself whether 1t
should Join the f1reflghters. and, if so.
when. Being furthest removed. the
United States was naturally later in CO.
operating. BY the time she did come
ir the flames we're raging in all the ad-
Joining houses. and some had already
collapsed. There was danger that they
might make a clean sweep. Whether
she could have intervened earlier is
hardly for outsiders to say. We may.
however, ask, what would have hap
pened if she had interviewed at the time
of the Lusitania Incident? The war
would have been shortened by two years.
millions of lives and tens of billions
of dollars would have been saved. the
condition Of the world would not be
what it is, and these debts would not
exist. This, however. is Of sentimental
interest only. We must begin with her
declaration Of war
How the Debts Arose.
How did these debts arise? For a
year after the entry of the United
States the tension was at its height.
Each nation had to utilize to the ut
most every resource it possessed. The
United States required time to raise,
equip, train and transport her armies.
During that terrible year the allies
had to hold the<enemy back with lit
tie assistance from her in maH-power.
France, the British empire and Italy
kept 6,5OO,000 men in the field, and of
these 100000 were killed. The allies
could supply men. but were already
bled white financially. The United
States could not yet supply men, but
had a plethora of wealth. Each con-
tributed what it cou1d-the allies
mon and the United States military
supplies and food, or rather funds to
purchase them. It was a time for
action rather than for commissions to
discuss mutual obligations, SO that
the acknowledgements whicr the allies
gave took the form of notes. These
are the debts which the allies are now
asked to pay.
Supplies were the one form of as