Evening star., 1925-09-21

Continued from First Page)
will help the situation over there This
is a hopeful affair, for France ordi-
nariy gets most of her news about
the United States by way of England
and other countries. The large French
newspapers haven't any resident cor
respondents in Washington spending
all their time in newspaper research,
as have the London papers. The op-
portunity of direct contact is lacking.
The American Government ia con
scious. too. Of the delicaCy of the prob
lem so far as 1t relates to the press.
President Coolidge has let it he known
that he thinks the newspa pers of this
country should not emphasize Amer
lea as hard creditor. but should re-
solve doubts in favor of the United
States. This appeal to the press is
unusual in peacetime. The French
government has many friends on
American newspapers, and there are
MANY observers who insist France can
pay, but should not be required to pay
in full or at least on the same terms
as the British.
Congress Real Fear.
The American Debt Funding Com
mission isn't concerned, on the other
hand, with cotemporaneous criti-
cism or argument. but with what Con-
gress will say when the debt settle
ment Is submitted The American
commissioners for some time have had
distinct notion of what would pass
muster and what wouldn't. They
know that Congress will scrutiniZe
the agreement carefully and that 1t
will take considerable pressure TO put
any agreement through which gives
France better terms than Great
Britain.
But the British themselves have
conceded the idea that France should
get better terms and 1t may he stated
positiyely at this writing that France
will get better terms than Great
Britain.
The term OF years. Of course, VIII
be 62 This doesn't disturb France.
What is more important Is how much
shall France he required to pay each
wear. Hints have been sent out in
the radio messages from the ship
carrying NJ. Caillaux and the french.
mission that payments will be begun
with the very next fiscal year. -
Proposal Tempting.
No Official comment is forthcoming
of course, as the American commits
sioners know better than to argue
their case on the basis Of press tele-
grams. but the French nevertheless
have put out a tempting proposal.
All other suggestions heretofore have
been that the French would want
few years' suspension of payments on
both interest and principal and would
in reality postpone the heavy burden
till the future. hoping that an altered
political and economic situation 10
wears hence would enable future
French ministries to get better terms
out of America on a possible revision.
The proposal now to begin imme-
diate payments means that the French
think the American people will look
with enthusia SIN on actual cash COM
ing in the very next fiscal year so 1t
can be taken into account In the
budget to be presented by President
Coolidge to Congress. thus helping I'M
mediately to relieve the American tax
payer. Also IT will aid the budget
makers in the next two years as
political exigencies develop. For 1t Is
no secret that the Coolidge adminietra-
ton intends to go to the American
people next Autumn with battle cry
boa sting a settlement with all Eu-
ropean debtors and with actual money
coming in from all them.
NJ. Caillaux is the shrewdest of the
shrewd in political matters and he
thinks the total amount to be paid
will be less II he offers more sums 10
be ra id in the immediate future than
IL he spreads 1t thin for few years
and puts the big sums way of when
most everybody now in political life
will be dead.
(CopyaEht. 1891