Evening star., 1923-02-04
Administration Officials Cog
infant, However, of Rocks
Ahead in Congress.
STEP TOWARD RESTORING
ECONOMIC BALANCE SEEN
Settlement Considered First Great
Step in Breaking Down Vicious
Cycle of World Obligations.

The plan for funding Great Britain's
Wartime debt to the United States
was turned over to President Hard
ing last night by the funding
commission. Accompanying the plan
was statement by the commission
suggesting methods of congressional
action translating the results Of the
commissions negotiations into law.
The statement was not made public.
While the commission in a protract-
cd conference was formulating its
views for transmission to the Presi-
dent new rumblings OF opposition TO
the plan were heard in both the
House and the Senate.
AT the same time Senator Lodge of
assachusetts, the republican leader
IN the Senate, visited the White
House to discuss the situation with
President Harding. and Representa-
tive Mondell of Wyoming, the House
republican leader. conferred with
Representative Burton of Ohio. a
member of the funding commission.
as to ways and means of handling
the settlement legislation in the
House.
Present indications are for the
President to send the settlement plan,
together with brief message con-
cerning it. to Congress early this
week. but this has not been definitely
determined
The administration appears conf
dent that Il can muster all the
strength necessary to bring action OH
tho legislation before the end Of the
present session. March 4. but Mr..
Harding is represented as desiring to
have everything done In advance that
will speed a final settlement.
Interest Rates ODDosed.
Increas sing evidence developed yes
terday that House democrats planned
to oppose the interest rates contained
in the settlement plan on the grounds
that they constituted a discrimina-
tior. Several of them declared that
the rates proposed to be applied or
the British debt were materially
lower than the United States pays on
its own obligations.
Members Of the funding commits
sion were said to have talked frank
ly among themselves as to the OBJ
stacles to be overcome in pushing the
necessary legislation through, Con-
gress. It was generally agreed, it
was said. that complicated legisla-
tion should be avoided, and it appears
that the recommendations to the
President urged that a complete
change of the law be avoided at this
time.
Acceptance Predicted.
Administrative officials, although
of the debt legislation, argued in
sistently that the plan agreed upon
and accepted by Great Britain was
just and right and predicted that it
would be accepted. They pointed out
also that a settlement with Great
Britain would be the first move to-
ward breaking down what the Brit
ish delegation to the funding confer
ence had described as a vicious cycle
of world debt, and that in fixing the
methods of payment on one war debt
a distinct contribution would be made
toward restoring the world economic
balance. 1t was intimated that the.
President would touch on this phase
of the settlement in his message to
Congress.
DR.. Clarence J. Owens president Of
the Southern CommsSeial Congress.
has sent an appear to members Of
Congress from .tHe southern states
urging support of tho plan of the
American debt-funding commission
for SETTLEMENT OF tho British debt.
TIE terms Endorsed by the commits
si6n, DR.. Owens said, were in line
with recommendations Of tho inter-
national trade commission of the
Southern Commercial Congress, which
made an extensive survey last year
Of economic conditions in Europe.
The trade commissions report was
adopted by the Southern Commercial
Congress at the convention in Chi
cago last November.