New-York tribune., 1922-12-31
TO the Editor Of The Tribune.

10 inc Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir; Agitation to BRING aboot can
collation. Of debts owed 70 this country
b. England and the various Allied
Continental nations has become a pop.
ular one In England, whose government
already has made payment on ae-
count Of interest Public discussion In
The Continental nations. on the other
hand, Is slight, being practically non
existent in France, due, no doubt, 70
tAe fact that people as = whole take
little interest In what they regard as
a purely academic question. For this
reason It Is the English attitude whieh
is Of paramount Importance at The
present time.
II We wish 20 arrive at some approx
mate understanding Of what that at
titude is likely 70 become II is essen
tial that We investigate the point Of
view Of the great laboring masses or
the common working world. In a
sense. unfortunately, this becomes
clear enough on even a small amount
Of contact.
In the writer's opinion a great wrong
has been done tho people OF the United
States and a grave misfortune has
arisen therefrom. The mass Of the
English people have never been told
all the facts either BY their press or
politicians. They have never had com
plete information concerning either
the reasons for Americas entry into
the great war or the part which she
played therein. The result is mis-
understanding which grows daily more
serious. | make the assertion soberly
and after some personal investigation
as recently as last August that the
rank ard Ale Of the English people do
not know;
That Lord Balfour ever eane TO
this country with a commission dur
Ing the darkest days Of the war and
begged for financial and military as
sistancc, or that the American Navy
vas Of material assistance 10 their
feet.
/ further assert that they have never
heard OF the great North Sea bhrrage.
or, II they have. attribute it mainly
TO the efforts Of their own seamen.
That they do not know that the
American army in France at the close
Of the war wAS one Of the three most
powerful armies in the world and that
1t had engaged in a prolonged, bloody
and successful attempt 10 break the
German army opposing Il.
That they do not know that the
people of the United States have in
Cured a heavy burden of debt as a
result Of their participation in the war
to relieve themselves from which they
have made no claims IN the shape Of
territories, concessions or reparation
and, finally, I assert that they do not
believe the United States has material
ly suffered in any respect whatsoever.
They do believe, however, that the
American people sold them essential
supplies at greatly enhanced prices
that the United States delayed enter
ing the war until literally It could TO
longer stay out, and that even then II
entered chiefly as a matter Of business.
They believe that from a naval and
military standpoint the United States
would never have been able 20 pro-
tect itself from a German assault, and
that II was content 20 secure the pro-
lection OF the Allies; that the money
which was lent them was paid for by
the blood Of English soldiers and sail
ors, and that having thuE purchased
immunity the people OF the United
States now demand their money back
They do know further that in the
whole long history OF England their
government has never owed n great
debt TO any foreign government and
they cannot bring themselves to a
realization CT their changed position
in this respect
They do know that taxation in Eng
land Is unbearably heavy. They sec
the breaking up Of great estates, the
lmpoyerishment OF tens Of Thousands
Of well meaning. hard working eiti-
zens. the vast horde Of unemployed
Workmen. Balanced budgets and in
creasing exports mean little to the
masses under such eiFeumstanees'
They are unable, and naturally So TO
look forward far enough TO realize
that English credit in the world will
be worth more 70 their ehildren's chill
dren than the amount Of several sueh
debts as they owe the United States
The financial world knows that the
reputation OF an honorable and bind
ing obligation by the government and
people Of England will strike blow az
English financial prestige from which
| Il is doubtful n II will ever recover
and that all chance Of the return OF
England to her position OF financial
supremacy will be irrevocably lost
The financial world realizes this-th'
masses Of the common people do not.
! As II appears to me, there !ies a.
the root Of this growing international
Misunderstanding q lack OF clear IN
formation due to natural causes. fei
example, the war censorship In ing,
land prevented full dissemination Of
news to such an extent that the Amer
i..n ..nnia nrn lar hotter informed