Evening star., 1929-06-29
When Politics Comes In.

II Americans will interpret the sud-
den Franco-Amcrican debt crisis in the
light of politics, they will understand
what has Just happened in Paris. The
situation can be graphically visuaIized
in terms Of things which have recently
occurred in Washington. French poll
ticians, like their ilk everywhere tin
Guiding the United States), delight now
and then in making life burden for
the party or government in power.
Sometime they are actuated by pa
triotic mAtives. At other times they are
purely partisan and plainly pestiferous.
For S7me weeks the French govern
ment, represented by Premier Potn-
care, Foreign Secretary BRAND and FL
nance Minister Cheron, have been urg-
ing Parliament to ratify the 1925 Mel
Ion -Berenger debt settlement. AS an
inducement to accelerate ratification,
the United States agreed to incorporate
in that settlement the $407 ,000, 900 due
August l, 1929, in payment of the sur
plus A. E. F. stocks sold to the French
after the arnlistice. If France did not
ratify the war-loan settlement by Au-
gust /, she was given to understand We
would expect liquidation Of the war
stocks bill on the due date.
In a heated and hectic all-night ses-
sion of the Chamber of Deputies Thurs
day, the Poincare cabinet was swept
of its feet in consequence of an impas-
stoned anti-American outburst by the
we'll known deputy, M. Franklin Bouil-
lon, chairman of the foreign affairs.
Arguing that the United States sis
holding a knife at Frances throat" M.
Boulllon demanded that M. Claudel, the
French Ambassador in Washington,
forthwith be instructed to seek a post
ponement of the $407 ,0o0, 900 payment
due August /. Ratification of the Mel
lon-Berenger agreement would, under
that proposal, be correspondingly de-
layed.
The chamber fairly sizzled with Gallo
temperament following the explosion of
NJ. Bouillon, who found it easy to in
fame the emotions of all parties with
his TRADE against this country-an In
dictment which incidentally attacked
the Young reparations plan as an
American" plan and therefore. M
Bouillon labored. one that is inherently
reprehensible and obnoxious. M. Poin-
care, face to face with a vote Of mo
confidence" which would have toppled
his cabinet, bent the knee and an
nounced that he would instruct the
French Ambassador in accordance with
Parliament's manifest desires The
scholarly M. Claudel wended his sor-
rowful way to the State Department
yesterday in pursuance of mission
which is known to gall him
The French politicians who are max
ing party foot ball out of the debt
situation know that with Congress in
recess Washington is powerless to ex-
tend the period of payment for the war
stocks. Senate and House alone can
alter the terms of our funding settle
ments with foreign governments Un-
der the circumstances, If the French
insist on withholding ratification of the
Mellon -Berenger pact and fail besides
to turn over the $4o7 ,o0o, 900 due four
weeks hence, they will stand before the
world as defaulters. II M. Bouillon and
his supporters think that French credit
in the money markets of the world is
capable of standing such strain, that
is their business. AS the franc falls
they may come to their senses, but it
will be too late.
Meantime. one may be assured.
Americans like President Hoover, who
have had recent experience with the
eccentricities of congressional genius.
cherish the utmost sympathy for the
French government. At the White
House it must be known exactly how
they feel today on the Quai d'Orsay.