Evening star., 1925-01-23

that for five years there has been no
offer of settlement no payment OF
principal and no payment of interest;
In view of the further fact that no
specific proposition for settlement has
ever been made, that 1T Is not ap-
parently now intended, as the press
of France and as the speakers upon
behalf of those people now indicate
| assume that that Is the real problem
before u.s."
Quoting at length from NJ. Marins
address, In the course Of which the
French deputy said It would be ini-
QultouB for the United States to col
lect its $4,000, 100000 debt from
France, Senator Borah asserted that
there was no justification for the
efforts made to place the United
States In the position of an "exacting
creditor"
1T has displayed none of the quail
tiles OF an exacting creditor" he de-
clared. "On the other hand, i under
take to say that the settlement with
Great Britain is the most generous
proposition for the settlement of In
ternational debts that can be found
anywhere in history"
Generous Terms Made.
Declaring that in the settlement Of
the British debt the United States had
written off from the terms Of the
original contract the sum of s3,S00,-
935. 900, the Idaho Senator said the
facts were that the. American Govern
ment had been more generous with
It's associates in the war than 1t had
been with it's own taxpayers
"If we should settle with France
upon the basis upon which we settled
with England" he went on, I'VE would
cancel by that settlement nearly 80
cents on the dollar Of all France owes
us. I cannot understand. unless II is
Il question Of absolute rejection of the
debt entirely. unless il is proposed to
create such a condition of public mind
matter, that il can bel hesitate to
use the harsh word repud!ation'-
unless Il can be acquitted. ] VIII say,
upon the part of the United States, /
cannot understand how any other
terms than those which have been
offered could be expected.
Il am aware that there is nothing
involved in this controversy other
than as NJ. Marin said yesterday, a
financial obligation. so far as the
United States is concerned. 1t was an
obligation. however. which was in
Cured at the ipstahce and request OF
other countries and an obligation
which we called upon the American
taxpayers to TAX care Of.
Not ExactIng Creditor.
when you come to consider every
thing which enters into the transac-
tion, the sacrifices made during the
war, the privileges growing out OF
the war In the way of material ad-
vantage to France and England, in
stead OF the United States being an
exacting creditor II has been exceed
ingly generous.
1T might just as well have claimed
a vast portion OF the oil fields had 1t
been in accordance with our policies
to have done so, as for France and
England to have claimed them; we
might just as we'll have claimed a
portion of the other natural resources
but all those things were waived
they were put aside: they were left
TO be distributed and divided by the
other powers.
That being true, certainly the
financial obligation entered into and
due to the American taxpayer may be
called for without being constantly
placed in the position in which they
.re seeking to place US a I this time"
Senator Reed, Democrat, Missouri
interjected that he did not hear Sena-
tor Borah mention the greatest bene-
At which France received, and that
vas her life as a nation
That is quite true" returned Sena-
tor Borah.
Turning to the claim that the United
States should be generous with
France because of its aid to this
country during the Revolution, Sena-
tor Borah said the debt owed to
France had been paid in full.
Senator Bruce, Democrat. Maryland
interposed that he assumed Senator
| Borah would recall that France made
some generous gifts" at that time
but Senator Borah said there was M
record of it In history so far as he
could find after diligent search.
The committee chairman also dis
agreed with Senator Bruce that
France had come to the aid of the
colonies out of a love of liberty. He
read historical writings to show that
jealousy of England brought France
into the war, and that also that coun-
try had omitted no opportunity tc
block the new republics efforts to So
lidify it's position abroad.