Evening star., 1925-04-26
France Can Pay Her Debt to America,
Says Borah, Answering Foreign Attacks

buildings $60O14s9 For arplanes and
other aviation material paid France VIZ
543024.97 We also informed that we paid
port taxes for the entrance of our ships into
French harbors. 1 do not here discuss the
question of the prices paid. Suffice 1t to
say that the profiteer was not alone indigenous
to the American soil
America Bitterly .Arraigned.
Observing upon the title page of one Of the
oldest and most noted of English magazines the
subject. 'Interallied Debts" 1 purchased and
read / found it a fierce srraignment of the
United States. 1t late publication, and
/ was little surprised. I could not understand
how the extremely liberal settlement which we
made with England could leave much
sentiment. Ordinarily. every one feels better
after pa wing honest debt / quote single
paragraph: I'VE fought the German in Eu-
rope while the Americans lent money, which
spent in their own country, with the result
that while the United States saved, the
rest of the world is overhead and in debt
to them. For the next so years we have agreed
to pay annual tribute to them, sad
ward of victory. And behind all the deilbera-
tions in Paris there lurked, in the mind of
France. at least, the fear lest she should be
called straightly to account by the United
States, her late ally. Are, then, the
Americans allies, they usurers? Did
they go into a war in 1917 or were they after
Investment
1t seems to be thought that If the denun-
citation is sufficiently false and sufficiently
and sufficiently persistent, it will bring
about an acquittance of the debts The fact is
that the record of the United States for disin-
terestedness and liberality in all dealings, both
with allies nd enemies, in the last war is with
out precedent parallel. We claimed ter
rtory. England received result of the
war ] ,607 ,053 square miles of territory,
pied by 35 900 900 people. and enriched by some
of the most valuable natural resources in the
world. One recalls the speech of Lloyd George
upon his return from Versailles to make his re-
port to the House of Commons. in which he
lated in glowing terms but, in truth. of the
gain to England. The outstanding fea-
ture of the peace treaty" declared another
member of the House of Commons. lis that it
puts the British Empire at the highest point
that it has reached in regard to territorial
and world influence"
What France Acquired.
France acquired, as a result of the war
402,3s2 square miles, inhabited by 10000 600
people. She acquired the vast coal beds of the
Saar Valley, estma ted to be worth $500, 900 600
She acquired Alsace Lorraine one of the richest
regions of the earth in natural resources The
United States claimed reparations Accord
ing TO the American Institute of Economics
Germany, prior TO the acceptance 'of the Dawes
plan, had paid in cash and kind TO the allies
$500 600, 900. The United States did not claim
terriotry or reparations. She did not even
claim the fuflment of the plain contract under
which the money loa ned. At a time when
she held the contract of England obligating the
payment upon 62-year settlement of $14-
214,SO0,0O0 she made a settlement for Sl1-
1O5,960, 900. She has voluntarily proposed to all
other debtors, including France like settle
ment. II there was any investment made in
the war 1t was not by the United States
Continued on Eiftaenth pace