Evening star., 1922-12-17
u. S. IS PICTURED
IN SHYL0CK ROLE
Foreign Statesmen Agree
America Must Reverse
Position on Debts.
HARVEY SPEECH LAUDED
U. S. Ambassador Praised for EN-.
phasizing Plight of Euro
pean Nations.
HARVEY SPEECH LAUDED
BY Gable to The Star and New York Tribune.
CnnYright 1870

By Gable to The Star and New York Tribune.
Copyright 1922.
LONDON. December 16.-.Col. George
Harvey, the American ambassador. said
recently in speech at the Lyceum Club ::
''The meeting of the members OF the
four allied powers of Europe. called in
London is the most momentous thing
of its kind since 1918. If the economic
problem of Europe is not put in the way
of solution by this meeting l do not
know where Europe Is going to land. for
it cannot go on another year with the
present cloud hanging over it."
Commenting on these momentous
words. NJ. Agostine Edwards. the
Chilean ambassador. says:
II agree with the American ambassa-
dor as to the capital Importance of the
questions. Europe, the commercial CEN
ter of the world because it possesses the
greatest mass of civilized population
capable of producing and consuming
on large scale. cannot continue to be
the prey of anarchy without running
risks and consequences disastrous not
only for the old continent. as Harvey
says but for the whole civilized world
especially Latin America which needs
the re-esta blishment of the buying and
producing power of Europe for lis own
prosperity and development
McDonald's Comment.
Ramsey Mcdonald. NJ. P, leader of
the labor party in the house of COM
mons, comments as follows:
L agree with every word that Har-
vey said at the Lyceum Club If the
;our allied powers cannot agree on a
continental policy. which will restore
political and social order and financial
stability in Europe and which at the
same time would Danish completely out
of the minds OF any of the allies the idea
OF military guarantees, then Europe
VIII have to fall back, stage by stage
into absolute bankruptcy and chaos"
Sir Leo Chiozza Money, late under
secretary of the British ministry of
shipping, gives it as his opinion that:
Harvess . statement on the eco
nomic difficulties of Europe has only
too much justification. The position
is grave in the extreme. I hope my
many American friends will not mis-
understand me if I speak frankly Of
the primary responsibility of the
United States in this matter. Amer
lea came into the war late-very late
and she has written down in her
books as debts the value of food and
munitions which she sent to the al
lies as her main contribution to the
campaign. America demands pay
ment of these war debts, written at
absurd war valuations. plus interest,
which IL unpaid will double the prin
cipal in half generation at peace
prices. simultaneously sne has
enacted a tariff which makes pay
ments as difficult as possible.
Moral for Americans.
"Thus America is in effect demand
ing indemnity from her late allies in
the gigantic war. even while she
damns European trade with her ports
and although she knows the suffering
of the European peoples. I leave the
obvious moral to the Americans
them selves.
Il will only add that if America
has made up her mind to play Shy
lock TO Europe she had better con-
slider why she came into the war at
all. OF course. we shall pay upon de-
mand. So did Bassanio, the pound of
flesh nearest the heart In Bassano's
opinion the matter remains good.
This is plain speech. but the case
demands it,"