Evening star., 1925-05-21
CHAIRMAN GREEN'S
VIEWS CAUSE STIR
Some Apprehension Felt Here
on Statement Discussing
French Debts.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Published reports to the effect that
Chairman Green OF the House ways
and means committee. after an inves.
tigation OF Europe's attitude toward
the payment of war debts due Amer.
lea, feels no real settlement is IN
sight caused uneasiness today in Off
cial quarters.
Mr.. Green disclosed in an interview
in London that Frances plan was to
ask America to accept a percentage
of the receipts from German repara-
tions under the Dawes plan and that
in his opinion this meant guarantee
by the United States Of the collection
of money from Germany by France.
Wisdom Is Doubted.
This phase of the debt question is
not new, but the announcement by
Mr. Green that he would oppose such
a settlement is decidedly new and sig
nificant, for the administration has
not reckoned on congressional senu-
ment In advance OF a knowledge of
the French proposals. Negotiation for
a settlement Of war debts is a delicate
subject at best and at this stage of
the conversations IL Is matter or Sc
rious doubt whether much progress
can be made by open announcement Of
the congressional view.
1t so happens, of course, that the
World War Dept Refunding Commits
sion has in the past taken the posi-
ton that the debts due the United
States from the allies are not to be
considered. In relation to sums owed
by the allies to each other or money
due from Germany. But since the
Dawes plan vas put into operation
there has been a feeling that perhaps
Congress might consent to an altera-
ton of this view, particularly IL the
guarantee Of payments from Germany
we're accomplished without American
moral or material aid.
There may yet be an opportunity
for a settlement through the use OF
the money to be collected under the
Dawes plan. France has had no real
difficulty in borrowing money in the
United States since the war from pri-
vate bankers. II the sums due under
the Dawes plan are really good assets.
they will appeal to private bankers as
a basis for a loan even more quickly
than they would appeal to the World
War Debt Funding Commission. II
Germany borrowed from the bankers
specific sums to be paid to the Ameri-
can Government, and used the repa.
ration receipts as collateral, the
chances are that her borrowing could
not be accomplished at lower rate Of
interest than she would have to pay
the United States Government, in
which case she might prefer to elimi-
nate the intermediary step.
Reaction Is Seen.
Some method of bridging the gap
between German reparations and the
debts due America from France can
be found II the Dawes plan is really
going to work. But at this early date,
when formal proposals have not yet
come from France to the United States
Government, the point raised by Mr..
Green will have an important reaction
on the negotiations. MIR. Green has
said bluntly what the, American Gov
ernment might have had to say later
on II the French proposal involved any
guarantee by the United States OF the
collection of German reparations.
Officials would prefer TO have the
negotiations conducted without pub
lie statements from members of Con
gress in advance of definite proposals,
but the viewpoint of Chairman Green
will have to be taken into considera-
ton by the commissioners when rego-
tiating with France, and it Is not in
conceivable that Mr.. Green's remarks
have already been noted by the French
government.
Copyright. 1925.)