Evening star., 1923-03-27
EDITORIAL DIGEST

is a tangible asset, which II would be
wise TO make use OF as liquidatable
collateral Yet all the German seized
property here could not e4tinguish
both private American claims and ma
tIonal claims. We expect our allies to
pay US. The logic of the attitude
oompels Us to insist that Germany
shall also pay us, and shall pay our
allied debtors in so far as that will
assist them in paying US"
The allied. suggestion lis much too
clever" in the opinion of the Manchester
Union, which points out that 'tas to
the validity OF the claim there Is no
question at all Nor is there the lea ST
question that the American coss OF oc-
cnpation should have been met along
with that OF French and British occupa-
ton. The latest proposition is that the
United States subtract from the sum
demanded the value OF the German
ships taken by us in the war. Ger
many Was stripped. Vast territorial
possessions were taken from. her. Has
anybody proposed thus far that the
value OF large part Of the African con-
tinent be subtracted from the cog. of
French occupation? Hardly. When our
French friends much too cleverly ask
US to do precisely what they have not
done they invite attention TO the using
Up OF the bulk OF the reparations pay
ments to date for the support OF their
very fine army"
''It IS not likely" points out the New
York World, that Secretary Hughes is
SO simple minded as to suppose that the
allies will either collect a quarter Of n
billion cash from Germany for the
United States. or that they will turn
over any part OF that which Germany
has already paid and they have alread dy
spent. Whatever the legal formula, our
only chance Of payment is out of Ger
mans future payments. II is, OF course
allied policy TO tie our government with
Y N Azte
we shall give our moral support TO the
business of collection. II our govern
ment refuses to be tied up II can prob
| ably say goodbye TO this quarter of a
billion for very long time to come.
There is no reason in the nature OF
| things, why the United States should
| not share in the collection of repara-
| tons The French wish us to do that
Mr.. Hughes might very well reply that
| II we are to pool our claims we shall
have to be consulted about the terms
Imposed on Germany. The United
| States cannot lend itself to the game OF
trying TO get golden eggs and pate de
| fois gras out Of the same goose" So far
| as the charges Of too much CONNER
ciahsm are concerned, the Boston Post
| the criticism of considering debts and
reparations in a commercial spirit hut
| we should be greatly obliged if the allies
| in this matter of occupation costs get
down 10 the leVel OF orolnar1ly goou
business men"
TT is a complicated situation" as the
Saginaw NewS-Courier sees 1t, land he
| is q true Uptimist who can see in what
has happened any immediate prospect
OF payments Of any kind. There is the
reflection. however. that had the SEN
ate not willed otherwise the United
States would have been represented on
the reparatons commission by a repre-
sentative eni tied to be heard as well as
seen Had that policy obtained we
would have had our share OF payments al
ready made" In addition. as the Wash
ington Post points out, Americans do
not forget that their Army was main
/ tanned for many months on the Rhine
at the request Of the allied govern
ments." The Pittsburgh Chronicle Tel
esraph insists that. because OF this very
| fact, payment sis a.. debt of honor owed
us by the allies, but we are not insist
| ent on any immediate payment Our
government is contendins for a princi-
pie, Our late comrades in arms no
doubt will perceive the propriety of
keeping faith. All we AK is that they
abide BY the terms Of a. Just and plain
a0reernenth -