Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-01
Settlement of French Debt
Believed Fair to Both Sides

Removal of the last of the important
disputes over war debts is commented
upon with satisfaction as approval is
given by this country to the terms of
settlement with France American
opinion seems to feel that the conditions
established are fair to both countries,
and assumes that plans for future rela-
tons may be carried out with greater
facility. which this question settled.
THE agreement with France may not
be the end" says the Oakland Tribune,
though it is apparent the American
people hold to the view the negotiations
| are finished, and unless views are radi-
cally changed will not listen to the
overtures of those groups who would
have additional amounts wiped off the
books. The debtor nations are making
! steady progress, improving their ca
pacity to pay, and it is fact that large
sums of American money have been in
vested in foreign bonds. Further talk
OF debt cancellation may only cause the
suspicion that purchasers of these bonds
are asking an American leniency to
other nations in the interests of these
investments"
1t is suggested by the Roanoke World
| News that the action by this country
lends a point of controversy between
the two nations that might have Gre
ated unpleasantness at the coming con-
| ference on disarmament" and that
this settlement was reached on a basis
OF the supposed capacity of France to
pay, rather than on the total of its
borrowings from the United States dur
ing the war period" That paper adds.
The American people would have
taken more kindly to the argument as
to Frances capacity to pay were it not
for the truculent attitude of the French
government in the matter of naval dis
] armament"
Ratification of the debt settlement
almost four years after 1t was negoti-
ated." according to the Philadelphia
Evening Bulletin, ''iS solution, dictated
by reason and common sense. of the
most difficult problem presented bv the
| war obligations. Americans in
reviewing the course Of debt negotia-
lions now brought to an end are entitled
to feel entire satisfaction with the prin-
clpleS which animated our negotiators
and the results which have beer
achieved. But there has beer
no cancellation in any case of the prin-
cipal or OF the binding nature of the
obligation, even when, in the case OF
austria, long-term moratorium was
granted on the entire obligation. 1t has
VAAOASoOAAlC lOT UL1e WOTlQ
for the debtor nations, that the prin-
ciple OF the sanctity of international OBJ.
legations has been indicated through
out"
X X X
Pointing out that the United States
borrowed money to make these loans, .
! the st. Louis Globe Democrat asserts
| that by making them 1t greatly aided
tne NATION IN war and greatly helped
toward the restoration Of some OF them
afterward. They we're valid obliga-
tions," continues that paper. (Which
had to be recognized by us and by them
If international financial relations were
to be continued upon a sound basis
The United States went as far as 1t was
possible to make the terms easy-so
far, as has here been noted, It did. in
fact, cancel no small part of the as
sumed obligations. and in no case did
1T insist upon more than the debtor
could pay without danger to its internal
economy"
That the settlements have been fair
is the contention of the San Antonio
Express and the Wheeling Intelligencer.
/