Evening star., 1926-04-19
WALSH, IN SENATE,
FLAYS MUSS0L|N|
Scores "BeIIicose BIuster" as
Threat to "FeebIe, War
Wern Neighbors."

By the Associated Press.
The policies and aspirations of Pre-
mier Mussolini again came under at
tack here today in the Senate.
Approval of the Italian war debt
settlement, declared Senator Walsh.
Democrat, Montana. would simply
assist Mussolini, supreme dictator. to
arrange his finances so that he may
precipitate another war, or bluster
about until the fear of such purpose
Is general, strengthening his position
at home through concessions wrung
from feeble. war-worn neighbors that
yield to theV dread of 4 renewal Of the
carnage of which they have such
ghaStly memories.
His Tripoli speech" the Montana
Senator continued, "bristles with bel
licose buster. The Kaiser never rat
tied his saber more ominously. He
usually brandished his sword against
imaginary enemies about to. or yearn-
ing to, invade the Fatherland. Mus
solini's bugle blast is a call to con
quest, TO attack, not defense.
Sees No Improvement.
"If there were any reasonable
grounds for believing that the politi-
cal, economic and industrial condi.
tions in Italy would he materially
improved by approving the settlement
I should be powerfully persuaded 10
lndorse il without any critical anaiy
sis to ascertain whether it measured
M fully to the tests said to nave
| been applied 10 ltaly's capacity 10
| nav. But I am convinced we have
| no such assurance.
| senator Walsh declared that If the
United States desires to do something
| for the people of Italy as distinguished
| from the government of Italy. let II
! null down the tariff wall erected ir
| 1922 to the rates of the Underwood
simmons act as to the commodities o.
| greatest value and amount imported
| from that country.
| The NcCumber tariff he argued
| cost Italian exporters $4.3OO,ooo IN tht
| 1924 fiscal wear. or almost as mucf
as Italy will pay annually. should TINS
bill become law. for the next f1vt
years"
Plan Called Misunderstood.
| THE nature Of the transaction fol
1
pending bill is not fully appreciated
| from the assertion that the present
worth of the payments to he made by
| Italv amounts to 26 per cent, ap
proximately. Of the debt" Senator
Walsh continued. Our Government
| is paving Al. per cent interest on thu
| money loaned to Italy. amounting Il
| 2n42 600 900. on which it pays inter
est at IL per cent. an annual loss II
us of something more than S64.000, 900
| II we shall succeed in refunding oul
debt at 3i2 per cent. as some sanguin'
| financiers say we shall, the America
| taxpayer will put up annually 5000,
| 900 more for the money loaned Il
Italy than she returns for the use y
il. a loss in the aggregate runnin:
into billions"
IF this loss is borne by all the
people of the United States, each his
| ratable share. it lays upon Montana
on the basis Of its present population
the staggering burden of over $3.50.
600 a year. Were the payment to bt
made directly out of the State treas
ury no one would defend it. but the
load is carried by the people just the
same. the money being collected by
the Government at the customhouses
| and through the income-tax machin
cry, the immediate taxpayer then col
lecting II of the ultimate consumer
| directly or indirectly in the added
price demanded for the wares the
| former sells. 1t must not he for
gotten. either. that over one-third n
the great sum loaned to Italy. some
| $500. 900 600, was advan need after the
| armiStice