Evening star., 1926-02-02

At least one laugh has come out
OF the war debt negotiations. Greece
furnished the touch of humor and
amazed the American public by pro-
posing that the United States let her
have the balance of n $4S,000, 900 loan
authorized during the war before col
lecting SIS, 100000 which actually was
advanced.
1T may sound like Il joke remark S
the San Francisco Bulletin, yet 1t
IS q seriously printed news item from
Washington. If borrowing money
from a bill collector calls for skill,
the Greeks must believe they are en-
dowed with genius. Their proposition
reminds one of the debtor who said,
If you lend me twice what ] owe you,
| will pay you half on account But
the Greek offer is even more auda-
cious than that. We have money to
lend, but not a cent to a debtor who
does not begin paying on the old loan
before he asks for new" 1t Is "a
curious case" adds the New York
Evening Post. They go so far as
to pretend an agreement has been
broken, though it was certainly not
with the Greek Republic under die
tatorship of Gen. Pangalos that this
agreement was made. They will have
to convince the United States Govern
make the advance at this time. They
,ould do this no better than by inmedi-
ately funding the 100000 account
they already owe
"The request that the balance be
turned over before any arrangements
for payments be made has very natu
rally been rejected" the Louisville
[ Courier-Journal explains. THE fact
that Greece did not take advantage Of
its full credit does not entitle 1t to
do SO now. The loan was for specific
purpose, to aid in carrying on the
| war. No doubt the present needs of
| the nation are great. They were great
also when Greece was prosecuting Its
| ill-timed and unfortunate war with
Turkey. But the American loan was
| not applicable" Furthermore. the
Greek announcement of the purpose
to build up an army and navy causes
the Flint Daily Journal to express the
opinion that the thing for us to dc
is to figure whether the thirty-five mil
lions or so really ought to go into a
navy or All army" and that from a
country that just a short time ago got
a smart spanking from the league II
looks rather suspicious"
"Were the Debt Funding Commits
sion to have granted what the Greeks
ask" observes the Buffalo Evening
News. "other nations of Europe un
doubtedly would arrive with similar
| demands. And with nations. as with
| individuals, the extension Of credit
! depends a great deal upon the stabil
| ity Of the borrower. Under her pres
ent dictatorship Greece is as uncer
! tain a quantity as she has been ever
| since the World War" The Seattle
Daily Times, noting that "witheut go
| ing into the question of the pfopriety
| Of making further loans to Greece
| the American Debt Commission Stated
| plainly that 1t had no authority tc
make further advances" continues
! Greek finances have been in Turmoil
| ever since the close of the war. The
country Is heavily in debt and has
been put to tremendous expense tc
pay for a disastrous war with Turkey
and for the exchange of population
| which that defeat entailed."
| X X X X
| "Faultless logic and supreme nerve
on the part Of the Greeks who seri
ously put forth this proposal art
recognized by tho Worcester Tele