Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-12-30
HUGHES URGES COMMISSION
TO FIX GERMAN PREPARATIONS

continued ri
our army OF occupation; and, with
good reason. for We have maintained
our army iu Europe at the request Of
the allies and OF Germany, and under
an agreement that costs ike army
costs should b." a first charge upon
III" amounts paid by Germany. 9th
"rs hay. been paid and we nave not
been paid Hut we are not seeking
general reparations. We arc bearing
our own burden. and through our
loans large part Of Europe's bur
den in addition. No demands of ours
mont OF the PREPARATION question.
Discusses Debts &" 4. =.
"Of course we hold the obligations
OF European governments. and there
haS been much discussion abroad and
here with respect to them. There
las been persistent attempt ever
since the armistIcc to link up the
debts owing TO our government with
rcparations or WITH projects OF can
collation.. This attempt was resisted
ia a determined manner under the
former administration and under the
present administration.
The matter is plain. enough from
our standpoint. The capacity of Ger
many 10 pay is not at all affected
by any indebtedness OF any OF the
allies to us. That Indebtedness does
not diminish Germany's capacity. and
Its removal would not increase her
capacity. For example, il France
had been able to finance her part
In the war without borrowing at all
from US. that is, by taxation and
internal loans. the problem OF what
Germany could pay would he exactly
h.
debtors to the United states are con-
c"rn"d. they hay" unsettled credit
balances, and ihs!r condition and
caracity to pay cannot be properly
determined until tho amount that
car hc realized on these credits for
r"rara'i"ns has been determined.
only Congress Has Power.
he administration must also con =
| slider the difficulty arising from the
tact that The question of these obli-
cations which We hold. and what
shall he done with them is nor a
| question within the province OF the
executive. Not only may Congress
deal with public property of this
sort. but i; has dealt with it, II has
created commission. and instead OF
giving that commission broad now
crs. such as the administration pro-
posed. which. quite apart from cam
Cti!hti"n. might permit a sound dis
erection to be exercised in accordance
Wi'h inc facts elected. Congress has
placed definite restrictions upon In,
power OF the commission in providing
Tor the refundins of these debts.
But what is our attitude toward
the question of separations. stand
"S as IL does rs distinct question
| ana AS one which cannot be settled
unless the European governments
"ncern"d are able la agree?
y" Desire tn i:vadc Ipon Gcrmnnv
we nav" no desire to see Ger
many relieved OF her responsibility
'"F the war or Of her Just oblisa-
ions l" make reparation for the
INJURIES que 10 her aggression There
- not IN" slightest desire that
rance Shhit los" any part OF her
Just claims. on the other hand. We
90 not Wish TO see a PROSTATE Ger
many. There can be no economic re-
cuperation in Europe unless Ger
many rccupcratcs. There will be no
permanent :cace unless economic
s"tsiactions are enjoyed. There mus,
be nope and industry must have
promise OF reward IL there is To be
prosperity. We should view with
disfaNor measures which instead OF
producing separations would threaten
disaster.
some OF orr own people have sug-
gestcd that the United states should
assume the role Of arbitcr. There Is
one sufficient answer to this sugcrs
iion, and that is that We haN. no,
been asked to assume the role OF
arbitcr. There could be no such ar
ultra mcnt unless IL were in-itcd ana
II would be an extraordinary and
unprecedented thing for MS to ask
for such an invitation
Have burdens Enough Now.
y don't think that we should en-.
dravor TO take such a burden OF re-
SponSihi!!iy. We have quite enough
10 bear without drawing to our.
selves ali the i'll feeling which would
result from disappointed hopes and
settlement which was viewed as
forced upon nations by this country
| which at the same time is demand
ing the payment o. its debts.
i'ut the situation does call for ,
settlement npon its merits. The first
condition OF satisfactory settle
meni IS that the question should hc
taken out 0E politics Statesmen
nave their difficulties. their public
opinion. the cNigencics which they
1880 '''''' - - ''N'"tlS 10 ne llDl'ttl
that hey viii elect settlement
| among themselves. and that the
coming meeting at Paris viii find
Il solution.
but If II does not. what should
be done? The alternative Of for
chile measures to obtain Preparations
is not an attractive one. 40 ono
can foretcll tho extent OF the
serious consequences which might
ensue from such a course. Apart
from political results. believe that
the opinion of experts is that such
measures Will not produce rcparation
payments but might tend to destroy
the basis OF those payments which
must be found in economic rccupera
ton.
Turns 10 Alternative.
If. however. statesmen cannot
agree and such an alternative is
faced. what can be done? Is there
not another way OUT The funda-
mental condition Is that in this criti-
cal moment the merits of the qucs-
tion as an ccomic one. must alone
he regarded. Sentiment. however
natural. must he disrcGardcd; mu-
tual rccrlminations are OF no avail:
reviews OF tho past. whether accu-
4 rate or inaccurate. promise nothing;