New Britain herald., 1922-08-04
INTFR-ALLIED DEBT.

g debtor nations are expressive of the justice of the position of the United lands debt to her, and yet the impress sion left is distinctly that it is not to cancel all the indebtedness to her. And that is the impression England must convey, careful as she is to assert the propriety of the stand of the United States in seeking a fund ing of the debt owed her.
 There could be no time more unpro- pitious than the present to suggest in this country a cancellation Of England's debt to us The people would object strenuously. and at this time it is not wise to raise any issue which would result in a universal complaint England, in her note to the debtor nations, does not say she is waiting to pay her debt to the United States until those nations pay her what they owe. She says that because she is obliged to pay her just debt to the United States, she cannot io as she wants to and cancel her credits-the debts owed to her from these other nations.
 It is readily seen how France, leading England's note, would feel called upon to say that since England demands payment of her debt France cannot consent to any modification of the terms under which Germany must pay her. The only difference is, how aver, that England's payment is some thing to be counted upon, while Frances rests more or less upon what she receives from Germany, and that payment from Germany is not to be counted upon unless the terms are modified in such a way that German payments will be possible. The argu- ment will not hold good all down the line because of the differing character of the payments. Undoubtedly the solution will come through England's so treating France in regard to the debt that aid for Germany will be acquiesced in by France and France will thus secure more than she could by maintaining the unyielding atti- tude which she has the right to assume but which. it is believed, it would be unwise to maintain.
 Any proposal by France, as sug- gested in dispatch from Paris yes- from Germany, with a separate parliament, all under supervision of the allies, because of any reason whatever, will not find favor with the allies. The conviction remains, in view of Germany's acceptance of the allies proposals recently, that France will eventually consent to a modifca- ton of the reparations payments through the medium of moratorium, despite the latest hints that England's note destroyed all hope of Frances consenting to such moratorium.
 The attitude of Secretary of the Treasury Mellon yesterday reflects the sentiment here against considering cancelling England's debt to us, which, however does not imply that such consideration will not come. There has been distinct feeling in Washington that such proposal would he entertained, though few have cared to voice such proposi- tion
 Again England reiterates her dispo- sition not to evade her responsibility to us, this time the sentiment being expressed by Sir Robert Horne, chan cellor of the exchequer. But, be 1t said. England Is in receptive mood for any proposal from the United States, looking in this direction Nor is this statement unfair to England, considering the feeling indicated to exist at Washington.