The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-21
QUICK SOLUTION IF DEBT PROBLEM .|s NOW EXPECTED
Suspension of Washington Conference Does Not Leave Officials Pessimistic Over
 Agreement
By Associated Press

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20-.Although the British debt commission sailed for home today with their mission un- completed, well-informed officials In in Washington are by no means pes simistic over the possibility of an early agreement for the refunding of the British war debt to the United States.
 In view of facts disclosed tonight, some of those familiar with the re- cent exchanges between the British and American commissioners would not be surprised If British assent to a settlement plan tentatively worked out here is given sooi after Chan cellor Baldwin and his colleagues arrive in London.
 It is known that the plan repre- sents the well-considered judgment of both commissions as embodying the maximum concessions that might reasonably be granted by the United States.
 The conclusion has been drawn ths tle grave change in the Euro pean political situation caused the British government to hesitate to assume any new financial burdens at this time dnless it was assured of the ability of the taxpayers to pear them.
 Fear Turkish War.
 Among the many clements of ap- prehension which thus may have in fluenced British officials are enum- erated the possibility of an expensive war with Turkey. heavy losses of trade as the result of the operations NF tl,z al, t,, f~ll T by increasing unemployment of Eng fish workmen, unrest In India and unsatisfactory conditions in Egypt. which might make 1t necessary to modify her present independent status. To tie up the government in such an enormous financial trans action as that contemplated by the commission under those conditions is said to have viewed as hazardous in the extreme.
 It is known that the original American plan of refunding would call for the payment by the British government of upwards of million dollars a day, with the last pay ment so years in the future. After careful study of the figures pre- sented by the British, however, the American commission is said to have
 
 that half of that sum--or half d mil lion dollars a day-represented the full extent of the British ability to pay.
 To meet even that charge. it was held that the British government would probably find it necessary to make extensive changes in it's whole financial and economic sys- tenn. That would. of course. make it incumbent unon the cabinet to seek the aid of Parliament and se cure legislative approval of its plans. There would be an opportunity for the returning commissioners to be helpful to the government in that matter. by personally addressing themselves to the leaders in Parlia ment.
 Tariff Issue Considered
 One project of the greatest inter est to this country which has been mentioned in Great Britain in con nection with the refunding plans re- lates to a customs tariff. To make both ends meet it has been gued that the British markets must be preserved for British workmen and producers and that the United States cannot be permitted to maintain a heavy balance of trade at Great Britain's expense. Some Britishstates- men are said to believe the only feasible way to rtop the drain would be to erect tariff wall around the British isles with special refer ence to American products md ma terials such as cotton and copper and even foodstuffs.
 These considerations, of course. were not discussed in detail by the British commissioners here and 1t was indicated that they might not even be brought forward at all If the terms consented to by the United States were regarded by the Brit ish government as within the present resources of the nation. It is this question the British government now will consider after hearing the per sonal explanations of it's comm ssion-