Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-14
The French Debt.

The French Debt.
An appeal has been made to the
American people 'seyer the head OF
diplomacy and far from political and
financial combines" by twelve thou
sand wounded French war veterans.
1t concludes with these words: Amer.
ica will understand that the war vet
Grams of France, who are henest. sin
rere and loyal. are asking in q friendly
manner that the study of the question
should be taken up once more"
The appeal has reached the people
to whom 1t was addressed, for despite
the fact that the plaque upon which
1t was inscribed was promptly seized
BY the French police its wording be-
came known and has been published
throughout the length and breadth
Of the United States by the American
press. 1t is probably as effective an
appeal as could be made to the
American public. Three adjectiyes,
st-sincere-loyal'' and an ad.
erb-"friendly' true.
Whether or not the expression Of
the French veterans comes too late in
the day to affect the destinies OF
FFanco-Ameriean debt negotiations re.
mains to be seen. Yet its wording In.
dicates an appreciation of psychology
cal facts behind the debt negotiations
that is thoroughly sound.
We have heard so much Of the al.
legged French belief that the American
national character involves the worst
in the makeup of Shylock and the
owner Of the goose that laid the gold
en- eggs, that the werd "friendship''
has a pleasant sound. Friendship Is
based upon understanding. We should
understand each other-we and the
French.
They should know--if they do not
already know it--that in the matter
Of the debt the American negotiators
correctly represented the sincere at,
titude of the American public toward
the French loan. The American pub
lie should know, on the other hand,
that the viewpoint of the French peo-
pie is equally honest and sincere.
These viewpoints are utterly diver,
gent. The one contemplates the meme.
tary debt of France to America as
distinct from the moral or sentimental
debt between the two nations; on
very much the same basis as such
debts are held distinct between two
friendly individuals. The other holds
that the monetary and moral or sem
timental debt are, in equity, iHdivisr
ible.
Z, 1t is essential that this honest di.
vergence of viewpoint be recognized.
1t Is folly for America to hold that
france desires to dodge the payment
of debt recognized by her as Just. It
is folly for France to believe that
America desires to exact the unjust
payment of an inequitable debt.
The existing popular opinion here
and in France is the product of poll.
ties. With the question differently
handled on both sides of the Atlantic
we might, instead Of the present un-
happy situation, be witnessing a
French insistence that In honor she
should pay to the. utmost Of her abii,
ity, and an American demand that
the debt be written off. Politically in
spired, the French and American ma
tional opinion has definitely crystal
lized. and the politicians of both ma
tons, called upon correctly to inter-
pref that opinion in the recent nego-
tiations, have done so with accuracy
and sagacity,
Things standing as they do, there Is
no friend Of France in America who
does not hope that the French people
will, in. their own interests, see the
wisdom of settling the debt question
upon terms far from ungenerous at
the present moment. Nor will many of
thoss friends of France fail to hope
that at some future date, with this
nation continuing along Its prosper
Gus way, the American people and
theirAeaders will see At to make, as a
Spontaneous rather than a none too
factfaily suggested act, the gesture
which win prove their unshaken
Friendship for France. and relieve that
nation of what must be recognized
3 here as huge burden.
. . H5. y y 3