Evening star., 1922-12-13
Concord Between This and
Previous Administrations
Believed to Prove Sentiment.
AMERICA READY TO HELP
ANY CONSTRUCTIVE PLAN
Thinks Amount France Claims
Should Be Based on
Germany's Ability.
ny DAVID LAWRENCE.

Eeparations from Germany and the
.t4ount that European countries shall
pay America on the war debts owed
u this country will be treated as alb
snlutely separate and distinct ques-
vions.
This important fact revealed to this
correspondent today. sheds light on
1nc course which the United States
government will pursue In all formal
or Informal overtures for American
7olp In the solution of Europe's tan
.led problems.
President Harding has let it be
ncWn that the government here is
IN n mood to extend its influence SO
:ss 10 help Europe. but If any respon-
sible statesman in Europe mas the
;lea that America Will remit or can
81 any part of tie allied war debt In
Exchange for some adjustment in Eu-
rope whereby France agrees to ac-
rept a lower sum from Germany. or
whereby Great Britain agrees to can
.'eI 4 portion of the French debt to
England. such an impression is en-
7!rely wrong.
Ready to Use influence.
America stands ready to use her
influence in whatever way seems best.
hut certain fundamentals MIST be un-
derstood at the outset. The view here
may be summed up as follows:
First the amount Of money Ger
MANY can. pay France is question Of
facts and figures Nobody Is suggest
ins-and least of all. the United States
that Germany shall pay less than her
capacity to pay.
Second, even if France and Great
Britain didn't owe the United States
:, cent and asked for American advice
vice would be the same. namely. that
7he Germans should pay to the limit
"f their capacity. and that is a aues-
1ion Of fact to be determined.
Third. the American government
-lnder the preceding administration of
President Wilson expressed through
Secretaries of the Treasury Houston
and Glass. the view that the capacity
"f Germany to pay was separate and
distinct from the question of allied
Indebtedness to the United States.
Every effort to tie up these two ques-
lions has been resisted by American
officials in the last three years. and the
present administration will continue to
do the same. placing American policy
on an absolutely consistent basis. The
fact that the two administrations agree
50 entirely is offered as convincing
proof that American sentiment Is not
divided.
Not in President's Power.
Fourth. the European powers who
are thinking of asking America to
wake some reduction on allied In
'iebtedness-if. indeed, the press re-
ports reflect such a purpose on the
part of the European governments
must bear in mind that the adjust
,nent of the allied debt is not within
-he realm of the executive here any
more. but is in the hands of Con-
gress. which body delegated to the
of negotiation. but with certain
limits which make it impossible to
reduce the allied debt without bring
ing the matter before Congress in the
Torm Of treaty requiring two
thirds vote of the Senate.
Whether American sentiment some
day will favor cancellation or reduc-
ton of the debt is an open question
and anybody can have his own pre-
.iiction as to what the situation will
l'"-but as for any agreement being
reached to reduce the allied debt be-
7"re January 2, when the premiers
meet again. the thought is wholly out
Fide the range of possibility.
Started mt Wrong End.
ere starting at ths wrong end of the
dilemma if they think a reduction of
:llied debt to the United will help
,hem. What is most desired here is
that the European governments fix
rheir attention on Germany's capacity
% pay. and when once that is fixed
1here will be no more controversy.
People. here cannot understand the
suggestion that France should agree
to lesser payment from Germany. for
This would be giving up on the part of
France Of something she could never
collect or hope to get anyhow. If
France were to get everything Ger
many Is actually able to pay the
Tinted States government believes
that is all she can ask or expect. If
This government takes any part in
,he discussion it will be to point that
cut and get an agreement on that
ono fundamental. After that 1t will
bc time enough to determine what Is
the capacity of France to pay her
debts to Great Britain or to America
and possibly the American people will
wish to consider the whole situation
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