Imperial Valley press., 1922-11-21
FEW NATIONS YET
PLANNING TO PAY
AMERICAN LOANS
United States Appears to
Have Poor Chance to
Collect Debts
But Seven of Twenty Which
Borrowed Funds Are
Trying to Pay
United Press Staff Correspondent

United Press starr correspondent
Copyright, 1922, by United the Press
WASHINGTON, Nov. 21.-Ameri-
ca s chance for obtaining quick action
this winter on refunding of the debts
owed her by foreign countries aggre-
eating over eleven billion dollars, ap-
peared DINNER here today as inquiry
revealed few countries have made any
actual moves toward establishing con
tact with the debt refunding commits
sion.
OF 20 nations, beneficiaries of the
American treasury during the war
years, only seven, according to the rec
ords of the commission. have made
overtures looking toward refunding
negotiations These are: England,
France, Belgium, Jugo Slavia, Rumania,
Italy and Poland.
The degree of their. responses to
American invitations to "'come and
talk it over' varies.
The belief is held that the procrast-
ination of foreign countries is Occas-
ioned NOT only by their inability to
see their way toward paying even if
the debts are refunded, but because in
1919 they were all informed that this
country was willing to declare a three
year moratorium on payments pending
refunding arrangements, if the coun-
tries would Immediately enter such ne
gotiations.
The proposal was never acceded to-,
but the impression apparently prevailed
that the three year moratorium never
theless remained valid. This expired
in April of this year.
England Pays Part
England has tentatively named a
commission to visit Washington and
talk refuding and has paid the treas
ury $l00,000,000 on account and inter
est.
France, during the past summer
named delegate, Jean Parmentier,
who conferred with the commission for
number of weeks. Parmentier was
suddenly recalled to his home country,
leaving behind him unfinished bust
ness and the debt refunding com
mission has no word of his return.
France, which maintains that pay
ment of her debt is out of the question,
is nevertheless paying to this country
approximately 2l,000,o00 annually in
interest.
Belgium has named delegate to
appear before the commissi0n-Baron
De Cartier, her ambassador to this
country. De Cartier, however, has as
yet made no approach to the commits
sion to set date for commencing ne
gotiations.
Jugo- -Slavia has likewise appointed
her diplomatic representative in Wash
imgton to negotiate refunding. DIR.
Pavisch, however, has made no definite
overtures for refunding the S6S,OOO,OOO
indebtedness of his country to the
United States.
Rumania has two delegates at
present in Washington who are active.
ly engaged in conversations with the
debt refunding commission.
Italy inquired of this country last
summer when she could send a refund
ing mission. Since that time no further
word has been received.
Poland, with a debt of Sl53, 900
and a currency quoted at $4,000 marks
to the dollar, has declared her willing,
ness to enter negotiations for refund
ing her debt, but has not followed the
matter up, pending final adjudication
of the amount she owes.
Cuba occupied perhaps unique pos
ition among the debtors in that she has
not broached refunding to this country
but regularly pays interest on hel
81 100000 debt every six months.