, 1925-01-25

AiNc - -
Of the French finance minister, NJ.
C~lementel, has been eased by the ex
p%ectation that the French govern
ment would present formal propos-
ais to fund the debt owed to Amer
lea. 1t needed only the spark fur
nished by Deputy Marin to set off
another blaze OF congressional in
Snation.
While It is rue that NJ. Marin rep
resents the minority in tho French
chamber. nevertheless his views CO
lncide so nearly with those express
I'd IN other French quarters about
tho American debt. that America is
not drawing much distinction be
tween minority and majority opin
ions across the Atlantic.
Ever since the war. tho conten-
lion has been made by French
statesmen and publicists that be
cause France sacrificed moro human
lives than did America, the latter
should either cancel or scale down
the three and a half billion dollars
borrowed by France from the Amer
lear tax payers. The French have
naturally taken II for granted a ma
ton which could send overseas two
million men and raise unparalleled
sums of money merely to serve the
general cause OF democracy would
not hesitate 10 show further gener-
osity with respect 10 war debts.
What the French do not under
stand is the change in Washington
itself toward Europe. 1t is not gen
orally appreciated in Paris that
France itself is as much responsible
for the change in opinion on this
sido of the Atlantic toward war is
sues as any alleged materialism In
America, The refusal of France for
several years to listen 10 the ap-
peals from America for a settlement
Of the reparations problem, together
with the French attitude OF opposi-
tion to the reduction of land arma-
ment has aiienated many Of her
friends in Washington.
>Premier Poincare is as much re
sponsible as any French statesman
for the arrangement.
There are few men IN congress to-
day who feel the war accomplished
what its slogans claimed were the
true detectives of the conflict and
this is particularly true of the battle
cry NO annexations and no in
IDENTITIES" which stimulated the
American Imagination shortly be
fore America entered the war. The
spectacle Of quasi-anhexation where
by German colonies passed n the
control, IL not the exact possession
OF the French at Versailles. has not
been forgotten and Senator Borah,
: N his speech. has just made articu-
slate a spirit of criticism about the
mandate system which has been
brewing for the last five years.
When the French contend that
they have made large sacrifices in
man power, there is no let up in
the sympathy and admiration which
has always been felt for the heroic
/. pollu, But that picture has been, to
ITO large extent. overshadowed by the
seSghble for the spells of war e n
.Elneered by the F1rencyh politicians,
: 40 that now congress is disposed. as
aid Senator Borah, 10 ask what were
the assets which France acquired
since the war. 1t is not forgotten
that besides Aisace-L Lorraine. with its
valuable mineral resources. the
French addd materially to their col.
onial wealth.
II the French had taxed them
selves as effectively as did the
Washington government with res
poet to the American tax payer,
there would also be at this time a
feeling that perhaps the burdens Of
Nnr were not being evenly distTibut-
ed. The last straw, however. which
has interefered with any scntlmen-
fal consideration and has stiffened
The attitude Of Washington so that
~ may affect the terms finally made,
Is the effort to repudiate their war
debt. This is no longer disputed. in
spite Of the official denlais from
Paris and congress has very definite
y in mind the idea now that the
Trench are not developing q Will to
nay. II took tho Germans n long
while 10 reveal the will to pay and
They argued at the time hat they
ga not have tho capacity TO pay.
Iho French are insisting that. for
Monumental reasons. they should not
&Qbliged to pay. The cuticisms in
theA american congress, on the other
hand. are beginning TO throw on the