The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-08-09
u. S. Debt Question
Ignored at Meeting
Of French Cabinet
BY InternationaI News service


PARIS, Aug. 9.4-The cabinet met
today and discussed measures for
reducing the cost of living, hut
ignored entirely the question of
inter-allied debts and took no cog
nizance OF the letter Of former
Premier Clemenceau on the debts
| question.
May Cause Delay.
It is believed in well informed
political circles here that the open
letter on the question of debts. sent
by NJ. CIemenceau to President
Coolidge, has sc6tcfed any plans
that M. P0incAre may have had for
asking for an early ratification Of
the tentative American debt settle
nent. The CIemenceau letter will
have to be allowed to cool before
the overnment can raise the issue
of debts, it is believed.
Discussion to Wait
There viii be no discussion of
debts before Parliament rec0nvenes
In Octob4fp Il member of the Cab.
met told the international News
service today. ''The question is
now repOsing in the files OF the
commissions OF foreign affairs and
finance"
The Cabinet today approved NJ.
Poirlcare's plan for increasing GUS
toms duties.
Polite but frigid comment marked
the reception by the press of
CIemeneeau' appeal to President
Coolidge not to treat the French
debt to the United States as a
commercial matter"
Cle!ne11Ceau's Appeal
The Tiger" breaking q political
silence of six years, made his ap.
peal in the form OF an open letter
to the President. lie asked that
Mr.. Coolidge take into account
Frances empty treasury and her
sacrifices in blood and treasure
Although all newspa psrs pub
1ished the letter prominently. only
a few commented. The organ IF
former Finance Minister J1eeph
Caillaux, La V0lonte, and L'Oeuvre,
organ of the left, remarked that
Clemenceau should have taken that
attitude \ at the peace conference,
but that it was too late now.
Bitterest Of all commentators
was lie Petit Parisien, which said
AL that 4SIldIIiS. H0W Is 4OI
Clemenceau to cohcede-'1t's all
my fault "
The return of Ambassador Ger.
ehger to Washington has been post
pened indefinitely. Franklin elil-
lon, president of the foreign affairs
commission of the chamber, en-
nouficed today following confer
ence of the debt question with Pre-
mier PUincare.
Clemenceaus letter follows:
To-day Frances eyes are anx.
iously turned toward America more
than toward any other nation. If
nations were mere business institu
lions, banking accounts would rule
the world
You request the payment OF a
debt which is not a commercial
debt, but a war debt, and you know
as well as we do that our safe is
empty.
A"Ih this case the debtor signs
a promissory note, and that is
what you are asking us to do.
But how can we believe that
cash payments will occur at pre-
fixed dates? It is the secret OF
the comedy that maturities will
be fictitious in order to force us
to require a loan with a good
mortgage on our territorial capital
like Turkey.
Will Never Accept
"That, Mr.. President, / must at
last let you know. we will never
accept. France is not for sale,
even to her friends. We found her
independent when we came, and
independent we shall leave her
when we depart.
ASK yourself, like President
Monroe, whether you would 1eel
otherwise about the American con-
tinent?
IF France Should disappear un.
der the combined attacks OF her
foes and friends she would leave
proud name In the wrold. Whac
have we done that was not our
'duty2 should We haNe abandoned