The Washington times., 1922-09-09
GERARD WOULD
|. HAVE ? OVERS
GUT INDEMNITY
Former U. s. Envoy Believes
Germany Could Pay Re-
duced Bill.
BY JAMES w. GERARD. 4
Former United states Ambassador b

BY JAMES w. GERARD. /
Former United os4ss:y. ssass: Ambassador ~
tcopyrisht 1922. by cosmopolitan News
NEW YORK, Sept. 81 doubt
II Germany would ever be able or
willing to pay the present indem-
nifty demanded by France.
I do believe, however, that |
France would stand a good chance. /
to get her money IL the amount |
were reduced, by, say one-haK.
If owe a man $500,000 and cam
not possibly find the money with
which to discharge the obligation
and see no way of obtaining 1t,
there is not much likelihood of
my paying it, but II l owe half
or less than that Of the amount,
and there is a prospect Of my,
earning it, there is a far better;
chance of the debt being paid be-: !,
cause Of the tendency of business
men to clear themselves Of debt.
Some French Approve. 4
1t is my opinion that there are
many men in France today who |,
are in favor of a reduction of the
amount Of the present indemnity
to a figure that Germany could I
actually pay. but they are disin- I
clined to say SO openly through I
fear of public opinion. II Germany !.
should make such a promise to |
pay and then fail. no nation or
individual could then reasonably
object to an invasion Of Germany
by. France, and the seizure Of tho !
of the country which would assure
the payment Of the debt. -
It is easy enough to criticize
France for driving what may be
regarded as hard bargain, but
those who have seen the devasta'
ton of her country by Germany
in the world war. and the COM
plete paralysis of French economic
life ass a result of the acts Of the
invader, who acted without provo
cation, one canot blame hersfor de.
manding every cent Germany can
pay. In France there was not
only the destruction naturally in.
cident to war, but a deliberate de-
struction of factories for the pur-
pose of industrially Gripping tho
country. :
Nations Are Human. J
II we recall the tremendous inden..
nifty demanded by Germany at the
close of the Franco-Prussian war;
and which France paid, every franc
of It, 1t may be added, we can imagS
inc the immense sum which Gen
many would have exacted from
France IL the allies had lost in 1888
! France, therefore. Is now acting very'.
much as any other nation would
have done IL occupying her place-
Nations. like individuals. are but
human. z
AS to the debt France owes the
United States through participation
in the world war, well, France may
pay us, or she may not. There.
seems to be no absolute certainty
that she will. She could do so by.
taxing the incomes, to a sufficient
extent, of those who could well af.
ford to pay 1t, but 1t is doubtful IL.
she will do so. -
On the other hand, of England's-
intention to pay US what she owess.
/ think there can be no doubt. And
at the rate Of 100 cents on the dol
| lar. The debt I believe to be an en-
tirely sound one. There is no moro
reason why the debt of France
should be Cancelled by the United
States than there is for the cancel.
lation of the debt owed US by Eng
land. A just debt should be paid.
That is good business and sound
economic principle.
There does not seem to be much
doubt that the present policy df
France is to strengthen her position
in Europe, through the aid OF Poland,
Rumania, Czecho-Slovakia and other
nearby States, SO that she will be in
| a position to meet any aggression
Germany may undertake at some
future time, and that she herself
may become the dominant power In
Europe.
Scouts Teuton- Russ Pact.
OF an offensize or defensive alliance
between Germany and Russia, l be-
lieve there is no likelihood, although
we hear such rumors from time to
time. 81
England, of course, does not regard
the aspirations of France with favor.
She has interests in the, Near East
and elsewhere, which must be pro-
tected, and for that reason Lloyd
George does not look upon the policy
of her neighbor across the channel
with approval. How this situation
will be settled, time alone, of course,
can disclose.
AS to the participation of the
United States in the settlement OF
Eurcpe's international troubles, do
not believe we should take a hand
in that, at present. We have our
own questions of policy to look after
over here. Let us attend to those,.
and not involve ourselves in affairs
that might lead us, God knows where.
All that would be asked OF us at q
! conference with European nations
would be money, or that we forego
the debts owed us. The hates and
intrigues Of Europe seem eternal. E'
Barter Plan Bad. y
Y note the suggestion mas oecn
made that one way Of relieving
Europe's economic ills would be by
/ a plan Of barter between the United
| States and those countries whose
money has virtually ceased to be
medium Of exchange, and who have
no more credit, this to be act
- "a.