New-York tribune., 1922-08-04
Britain Alone
Can't Pay All,
Says Premier

the reactionaries. A revolutionary Ger
many would be very different thing
from a revolutionary Russia, he
pointed out.
at ID blessing toward Europe
added Lloyd George, "that the first out
break of the Communists took place
in Russia, and In that respect Leuine
and Trotzky have been the saviors of
society" There was much laughter Mt
this thrust, but the Premier went on
to point out that German revolution
in well organized country with
highly trained and intelligent popula-
On the other hand he said that Ger
many quite understands she has to
pay" Lloyd George WAS equally in
sistent that her ultimate capacity to
pay could not be estimated at time
when the world was unable to trade.
Remarking that the effect of the
collapse of the mark has been to wipe
out Germany's national debt the
Premier declared that if repayment
were scaled down 1000 or 800 mil
lions that country would have a posi-
tion of enormous advantage in coma
petition industrially with Great Brit
ain end France. He compared this po-
sition with that of Great Britain with
external one (which we are told
neither sentiment nor morality ought
to excuse us from paying" This was
only one of several references in his
speech TO Great Britain's debt to the
United States.
"The Treaty Of Versailles provided
that the amount to be paid by Ger
many should b subject to revision from
time to time" said Lloyd George near
the end of his speech, land the Repara-
tions Commission in declaring a mora
torium and reducing annuities would
be acting entirely within the authority
of the treaty. Every consideration
would be given the claims of devastated
France, but justice means justice to
the people of our own land"
LONDON, Aug. 8 (By The Associated
PressJ-1t was apparent that Lloyd
George, Sir Robert s. Horne, Chan
cellor of the EXchequer; Herbert H.
Asquith, one Of the Liberal leaders, and
other speakers made studied effort
to say nothing which would embarrass
open and impartial discussion of the
subject at next weeks conference Of
Allied leaders in London. That Great
( Britain has no intention of suggesting
any alteration Of her financial obliga
tions to the United States was re-em-
phasized by Sir Robert Horne
81 wish to make it clear beyond all
question OF misapprehension," declared
Sir Robert, that we recognize to the
full our obligations to pay our debt to
the United States, and we do not mean
in any shape or form to evade that
obligation"
The foundation Of the Earl of Bal
foIr's note was the payment of the
debt to the United States, declared
the Chancellor; "but while this is so,
we are not blind in this country TO the
colossal burden on the nations of the
world at the present time in the in
debtness of one nation TO another"
he said, "and we hold very strongly
the view that there is no graver i'm
pediment to the recovery OF the world
from the ravages of war than the ex-
tent Of that debt"
Brltains Debt Held Largest
Sir Robert pointed out that the Brit
ish debt was greater than that of any
other nation, amounting to 81 7,7s6, 900,
600, compared with e6,147 100000 for
the United States and e6.34o,000,0 900 for
France. The British debt was s181 per
head of the population the French
a162 and the American e157, he showed
and in these circum stances it was i'm
possible TO make the British taxpayer
alone shoulder the payment of the war
debts.
"lf only the nations which fought
side by side N the war had been will
ing to regard their subscriptions to the
war as contributions to the common
success" he continued, I'VE might have
: been able to rid the world of many
causes of irritation and plant in the