Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-17
DEBT PACTS SURE
OF BEING RATIFIED
Democrats Almost a Unit in
Hyor of Treaties Made
! - by United States.
sRT DAVID LAWRENCE.

Tho storm in the Senate over the
rathcation of the debt agreements
with Italy and Belgium will soon blow
OVER. For. no matter how much noise
th{rfSmay be, the votes are there to
aeify the pacts.
Ithe outburst. none the less. Is dis
coScertins TO the Coolidge admiDistra-
ton. which had become convinced,
after the almost unanimous approval
given by the press Of America, that
the proper course had been taken In
settling on basis OF estimated ca
pabity TO pay.
The reason why there are plenty OF
votes to adopt the agreements is that
the Democrats are almost unit In
favor Of ratification. They can hardly
do otherwise, for II was a Democratic
President, Woodrow Wilson. who was
willing to foreCo a good deal OF the
prearmistice debt incurred by Belgium
in fact, the remission of half that
Indebtedness ii officially aScribed to the
moral obligation which Mr.. Wilson
undertook on behalf Of the United
States.
Lost Italian Votes.
Then, too. the Democrats lost
great many Italian votes in the 1920
1924. all because of Mr.. Wilson's policy
on Tiume The italian people are
struggling under burden OF what little
payment the United States did exact
so the Democrats are not going 70
put themselves In the position OF an
faGoniZing the Italian voters here who
feel sympathetic with their kinsmen.
Indeed. 1t is doubtful whether many
Republicans would care 70 do 50 either
= haS 70
the italian agreement is reduced to a
handful of important Senators, but
numerically they cannot prevent rati-
flcation. In the House, the admins
tration can crack the whip and put
the debt agreements through without
any trouble.
There may be some delay in getting
action in the Senate, but ultimately
thoy will be passed especially since
II takes only ii majority vote and not
twothirds. This Is because the orig
tnal step by which the World War
Funding Commission was created and
given powers to negotiate under GER
tain terms waS i simple act OF Con
gresS.
Majority Assured.
When the British-American agree
ment was made the administration
merely asked Tor Al amendment to
the law. and in that way ratified the
debt pact. Were IL al agreement IN
the nature OF a treaty the Senate
alone would have 10 act. and Two.
thirds vote would be required There
are enough Democrats 10 Offset such
Republicans as will vote against the
agreements. 50 A substantial natority
Is assured.
Some members OF the House have
raised the question Of precedence In
tho matter, contendina that the House
should originate the debt amendments,
as they are related TO raising revenue
There Is much TO be said on this sub
jcct and the constitutional lawyers In
the Senate insist they have a right TO
consider IL in that body first. bu, the
chances are the administration will
not bubble about 1t, but will permit
the House to act first 4 Indeed. for
moral effect. the adoption Of the agree
ments by the House ahead Of the
Senate might be wise bit Of strategy.
Advantage to Administration.
The debate. however. Is not wholly
without its advantages to the admins
tration. for foreign governments did
not always believe the American debt
commission was painting an accurate
picture OF the congressional situation
when arguing that Congress would
not agree to reduce a debt of a coun.
try which had the capacity to pay.
When Congress does adopt the Bel.
gian and Italian debt agreements, II
will be after it has been conclusively
demonstrated to the ma jority In each
house that no better terms should
have been exacted
AS for France. her present financial
plight is attributed to her failure to
settle with the one country which
could have helped her over the diff
cult course of foreign financing. The
crisis In Paris. on the other hand, will
lessen the pressure on the admins
tration to force d settlement with
France,
fCopyrIght 1887