Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-06-03
Poll Is 236 to 112 Fol-
lowing Day and Half
of Bitter Debate
Sent to Senate Where Second
Battle Over Ratification Will
Be Fought-Calls for Pay
ment Of $6,S47,674,000 Prin-
cipal and Interest Over e.
Year Period--Turn Down
Move to Defer Action Until
French Parliament Acts 10

Washington, June e.-(R-The
French war debt settlement, which
calls for the payment to the United
States of s6,S47,674.oOo in principal
and interest over 62-year period. was
approved today by the House.
By vote of 262 to 112 bill to rat
ify acceptance of the agreement work.
ed out by the debt commission was
sent to the Senate, where 1t is ex-
pected to encounter greater opposition.
1t was opposed on the House roll
call by 20 Republicans. So Democrats,
Farm-Labor members. one Indepen-
dent and one Socialist, while 81 Demo-
Gratis and one Progressive-Soci
combined with the Republican MAJOR
,ity in voting for acceptance.
A last minute move by Representa-
tive Schafer, Republican, Wisconsin,
to send the bill Of ratification back to
the ways and means committee, to be
held there until action is taken on the
settlement by the French parliament,
was defeated 2O2 to 40.
Representative Wefald. Tarm-Labor,
Minneapolis, sought unsuccessfully to
amend the settlement by eliminating q
provision enabling France under GER
tain conditions to postpone any pay
ment of principal or interest for three
years. Representative Kitchener, Re-
publican, Michigan. presiding, howev-
er. held the agreement was not subject
to revision.
Approval came after a day and q
half of debate during which Repre-
sentatives Collier. Mississippi, and
Rainey, Illinois, both Democrats. in
the ways and means committee. led q
heated attack against the settlement.
Collier asserted the terms OF the
agreement were so liberal as to be
unfair" to American taxpayers,
while Rainey assailed the settlement
as too liberal in time and declared it
was sponsored by New York bankers.
Representative Howard, Democrat,
Nebraska, in opposing the agreement
said the United States had been ruled
for the last four years by Morgan
Mellon group of international bank
ers." Representative Rathbone, Re-
publican, Illinois, and Berger, Social
ist, Wisconsin, were others who Bit
terly assailed it.
Chairman Green, of the Ways and
Means committee, and Representa-
tive Burton, Republican, Ohio, and
Crisp, Democrat, Georgia, both
members of the debt commission. led
in defense of the commission as
the best the French could negotiate
at the present time. Endorsing the
agreement, Representative Tilson,
the Republican leader. asserted that
its rejection would be a serious
blow to France at this critical jun
cture." Representative Mills, New
York, and Andrew. Massachusetts,.
both Republicans, also urged mem
bers to remember the circumstances
under which the loans were made.
the former contending that the
American people wanted the agree
ment ratified because they believed
it not only fair to themselves but
also to France"
Just before the final vote, Repre-
sentative LoZier, Democrat, Missouri.
commended the settlement did not
provide on the principal at four per
cent would exceed any OF the annual
payments, which graduated from in
itial annual installments of $780,
100000.