Evening star., 1922-10-23
"Our American Adventure''
Sir Arthur Suggests France and Britain Cede West
Indies to United States in Payment of Debt and =.
Tells of Seeing Candle Flame Walk: =
BY SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE.

NS3N&1&S Nv L 0Os
able pictures Of the three Tox sisters,
DR.. PEBBLES and other celebrities. Mr..
Gates, a pioneer of fifty years stand
ing. looks after the place His wife,
at once gave US touch of her con-
trolls quality. which was very re-
markable. There was nothing very
evidential, and yet It was correct as
far as 1T went. and all very dignided
and impressive.
I had an interesting talk with Mr..
Castle, who Is a high Official in the
Department of State. connected, as l
understand, with foreign Affairs. In
early days he had some remarkable
psychic experiences which made him
sympathetic to my mission. On one
occasion he had a long ride alone
in Honolulu with Miss Rose Field. the
from the ride the lady was taken Ill.
possibly from exposure to the sun.
and after two days she died Some
time afterward an American spirit
ualist wrote a life Of Miss Field.
which purported to be a spirit auto
biography. and in 1t was a full &c
count of this ride. which could not
Candle Flame Walks.
Even more interesting is an ac-
count which Mr.. Castle wrote out for
me about another Honolulu expert
ence, where in a certain house the
apparent flame Of candle used to
issue from one of the rooms at inter-
walls and pass down the corridor to
the front door. "At first people ltv-
ing in the house were frightened. but
they found nothing happened. and
therefore in the end paid no attention
to it.. I have myself seen this candle
fame. and have held my hand in
front OF 1t. the flame passing directly
through my hand. There are no cleo
trtcal phenomena in those islands"
No doubt a clairvoyant would have
see1 the figure which bore the light.
have myself In my collections OF
psychic photographs q picture Of
ghost carrying lights IN exactly the
same way. But what has the sceptic
m materialist to say to such an Incident?
And how absurd it is to continually
avert our faces and to deny or ignore
what is beyond all doubt, and can
be explained only by one system OF
thought.
One cannot leave Washington with
national political situation, which has
surely never been SO obscure since
the world was made. Is this Gordfan
Knot OF debt to be carefully unrav-
elled or is there some way by which
it can be cut? We British feel that
the money is honestly owing and
must be honestly paid. and yet we
feel that 1t would be a monstrous in
justice IL we were to pay the thou
sand million that we owe. and have
to write of as a bad debt the three
and a half billion which we are owed
We should feel 1t all the more as the
money advanced was largely for our
continental allies and We are in the
position OF man who has gone surety
for friend and has been called upon
to pay up-a perfectly just and legal
position from the point of view of
the lender and vet one which natur-
ally leaves a ranking dissatisfaction
behind it.
Suggests Cession Of West Indies.
Britain Is too ;.oud to accent hu-
favors and any remission of
debt must be part OF a great world
scheme where there is a general re-
adjustment. But what is America to
get in such readjustment and how
can We help being humiliated If we
accept favors from her with no re-
turn? There is one factor which has,
I think. not been sufficiently dis
cussed. How about the cession by
France and Great Britain Of ali their
West Indian possessions as one asset
which they hold and which America
might desire? 1t is a delicate uues-
tion and yet I think that after the
first natural recoil there is much to
commend il. These islands are of no
and they are OF very great use to
for they are the natural
fortresses of the Caribbean sea. and
the advance sentinels to that great
canal which was built by American
energy and capital Their loss would
tiv,,n % Nd haS ;c
a very great loss, but the crisis is
vital one. and those of us who believe
in the future federation of all Eng
lish-speakfng states on terms OF
equality can console themselves by
the thought that those beautiful
There is no doubt that the Americans
eagerly desire them. as they showed
when they gave Denmark f5.ooo00o
for the single tiny island Of st.
Thomas.
The crucial point is, how far would
the islands themselves sanction the
arrangement. for We could not pos
sibly do it against strong opposition
on their part. We have to remember
that for many years their industry
has declined because their natural
market the United States, is closed to
them. That may well influence their
decision. In the case Of St. Thomas
the local vote was in favor of trans
fer
Other Broad Reasons.
Apart from the transaction as part
of a debt payment which We can
meet in no other way. there are. 1
think. broad reasons Of world policy
which might recommend such a
course to the far-seeing statesman.
The future Of the world depends upon
the Anglo-Celtic nations getting to-
zether and this is Of such Importance
hat everything may we'll be subor-
iinated to it. These islands have
always been a thorn in the side of
America. At the present instant they
see their laws fouted by the ease
with which liquor can be run into
heir territory from these British
bases. 1t is weapon in the hands
If our enemies and a difficulty for
our friends.
What does the empire get in ex-
The complete good will and
friendship of America is worth such a
ten times over And yet l
agree that two conditions are vital
FOR such a cession. One is the con-
sent of the ceded. The other is the
of the French. for we
could not put ourselves in the posi-
tion that they had naval bases In
western waters and we had none.
But their debt also is at stake. and
they may well join with US in the
sacrifice.
Copyright. 1922. by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,
for the United States and Great Brittany
Ito BE Continued Tomorrow.D