The New York herald., 1922-02-25
Furious Protests at Assertion
Debt to America Won't
Be Paid.
HAS MEANS IF GIVEN TIME
Grosclaude Regrets Americans
Chiefly Look to Recover
Billions From Europe.
BY LAURENCE HILLS.

Special cable to THE NEW YosK HERALD.
Copyright, I9se. BIZ THE New YonK HnaALp.
New York Herald Bureau.
Paris, Feb. "a.
Louis Loucneur, former Minister fl.
the Liberated Regions ot France, by his
recent speech in Lyons. where it was
reported that he declared France "w.ll
never pay one sou OF her debt to
America" has caused furious protests
from representative Frenchmen. These
men insist that the ex-Minister not only
had no right to speak in the name OF
France in such a way as to undermine
French credit abroad, but that hi- thesis
is untrue, and that France will need
only time to put her great resoul ces
into operation to enable her to meet
all her obligations.
NJ. Loucheur tonight refused to be
drawn into any further discuss ion OF
what he is supposed to have said, but
his friends pointed out that the official
report of the speech went not as far
as some reports indica.ed, the true sense
being that France could not reimburse,
unfortunately, all in cash, and went into
details of how the debt could and would
eventually be paid.
The latest opponent of NJ. Aoucheur' $
extremism is Etienne Grosciaude, the
journalist, who in a virile attack in this
mornings Journal Industrial expresses
astonishment that M. Loucheur changed
the popular slogan. Lafayette, Nous
Volta" to La Faillite la VOLTA" or
ar,lx iv
What does he know about it?" de-
mands NJ. Grosclaude ''IIas France
ever repudiated her promise, even in
her most difficult hours? Probably NJ.
Loucheur is confounding us with the
folk he has met voyaging across the
Rhine in Wiesbaden; but who has ever
authorized him to think or to say we
shall not pay, and, moreover, that we
are incapable of paying?"
The writer insists that M. Loucheur's 2
views are bGsed upon nothing positive
materially while contradicting flag
rantly Frances most deep-rooted tradi-
tions. After pointing out her financial
honesty as the chief national virtue of
France. NJ. Grosclaude says that this
must be considered with Frances real
resources, which are immeasurable,
namely focdstuffs, mineral wealth,
phosphate and potash; and he argues
that France certainly Is not foolish
enough to ruin these resources by in.
considerate speeches.
"She firmly intends to pay to the very
last sou by her labor and she has the
means to do so if only given the time
to put her turmoiled house In order. af-
ter having paid for the damage done
by the whole world" NJ. Grosclaude con-
tinues. This time will be allowed her
willingly. as she shows her integrity,
good win and hearty desire to work"
NJ. Grosclsude. who is recognized as
one of the keenest economists. in close
touch with the highest governmental
circles and the biggest financiers. in
sists that America must be made to
understand that the claims OF the United
States uron France are excellently guar
antced by the ilimitable resources
which time will permit France to ex-
tract from the soil. thus finally to liqui-
date in the only manner possible the
debts OF one country to another. He
also regrets that the American masses
can see nothing in Europe but the pos
sibility of recovering the billions that
are Indispensable to the return of the
golden age. at moment when, para
doxically, nearly all the gold i'm the
world is in the hands or a single nation
the United States.
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