South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-09-15
HARDING ANXIOUS
FOR DISPOSITION
OF LIBERIAN LOAN
Senate Decision 10 Act on Bill
Before Adjournment, Due
to President.

WASHINGTON. sept. Il. The de-
cision Of senate managers 20 dispose
Of the Liber.1u Joan h.u before adj
Journment virtually was dictated by
Pres-t Harding. who. 10 is officially
stated regards the failure % the
United states 10 fulfill its pledge 70
loan the black republic 25.000.000 as
one OF the most huwil.atlng incl
dents " The postwar pc..od.
Earnest appeal was made uy the
president 90 chairman Lodge and
other members OF tine foreign re-
lau0ns committee 20 consider the
bill. which passed he house months
aro. before winding uD the affairs
o. thiq session iI. explained that
promise made by th- former adj
ministrat.0n had been renewed by
sec'y Huehes and That the Ameri-
can government has discouraged IL
IBERIA against looking 90 any other
source for aid.
10 is now four years since Wood
row Wilson consented 20 aid Liberia.
His reasons for doing So are applaud
ell by The present administration.
Conditions. which had been imposed
10 guarantee repayment were fully
compiled with by the republic but.
for reasons that are not made clear,
credit was not issued and the money
was not paid The situation i- rep
resented 10 be particularly emoar-
raising in view OF the fact that Ii
IBERIA was the only nation borrowing
from the United States that was
compelled 20 accept conditions look
ing 20 repayment.
The congress which sat i'm 1919.
being uufriendly 90 the democratic
administration early in It's dehbera-
tions passed q bin taking from the
president and lodging with the legis-
lative branch the right 10 make
loans 10 foreign governments. This
took the matter out OF the hands Of
Woodrow Wilson.
Republic Distressed.
Pres't Harding asked the present
congress 20 pass a bill authorizing a
loan OF 3 5000. 900 20 Liberia and the
house responded. In urging a senate
action. the president pointed out
that the republic IS distressed be
cause OF the bughting OF plans that
had been built ON the promise OF the
United States to aid. Otl.,r nations
had expressed a willingness 10 ex-
tend relief 20 the republic, members
OF the foreign relations committee
were told. but this government as
sured Liberia that its promise would
be kept. thereby denying TO Liberia
relief that the republic might have
acquired.
Under the agreement reached by
senate managers. the loan bill will
be taken up when the coal bills are
out OF the way. There are two OF
these. one for a fact-hnding commits
sion and one for regulation Of the
distribution Of coal I'm order TO stab
iiize consumption and prevent prom
teering in prices. Much time viii be
consumed by debate because of a
feeling among senators that the gov
eminent would be exceeding IT.
peace time powers by operating IN
der the Winslow measure. which th'
house passed Thursday.
Fres't Harding also made It know
70 senators who interest themselvel
I'm this country's foreign relation
that the United States stands ready
TO send a commission OF economic
experts 20 Russia. provided the Rus
sian government approves. and Il
consider acceptance Of an Invitation
20 participate I'm an internationa
conference on international debts fl
the event an invitation is received
Both these suggestions mark a de
parture from Americas policy 10 g,
70 alone and 20 hold aloof from
European conferences.
It IS explained that the Unite,
States holds no deep prejudice
against Russia and that perhaps tn
time IS approaching when semi-of