The Bismarck tribune., 1931-12-23
HOOVER'S PROPOSAL,
Minus AMENDMENTS
APPROVED BY 69-12
Signature Of Plans Sponsor Is
All Needed to Put Debt
Holiday in Effect
JOHNSON FIGHTS TO FINISH
Congress, However, Is Opposed
to Cutting Down or Can
collation. of Debts

washington, Dec. 23.-(R)-The one
year inter-government suspension of
war debt and reparations payments
Wednesday bore its final official sane
tion and needed only the signature OF
its sponsor, President Hoover, to come
into effect.
The last step was taken by the SEN
ate Tuesday night. 1t approved the
house resolution of ratification by a
MA jority even greater than the one
mustered by its companion chamber.
Despite two days of fiery argument
against it, 50 senator's approved and
only a dozen opposed.
The payments already have been
First installments to the
United States under the moratorium
were due Dec. Is. Congress could not
ratify by then but the administration
informed the foreign governments
they could count on the approval
which now has materialized, one
week to the day after the payment
date.
The suspension will continue to
July 1. Next Dec. Is the payments.
barring an extension, will be resumed.
Senators who voted against the
wore.
Republicans Frazier, johnson.
Norbeck, Norris, Nye and Schall.
Democrats-Bulow, Caraway, Con-
noally, Dill, Mcclellan. Thomas.
Against Cancellation
One important element of the sit
uatiOn as it now stands, however, is
that the approved resolution recorded
the congress as utterly opposed to any
scaling down or cancellation Of the
war debts due this country. That is
a declaration Of its present will, back
ing up widespread individual asser-
tions by prominent legislators.
It was called forth by that message
of President Hoover on foreign affairs,
which recommended establishment
of the World war foreign debt COM
mission to weigh in the light Of
changing conditions the ability of ma
tions to pay-in other words again
scale down the war debts.
This congressional declaration, how
ever, is made in the face of wide
spread conviction, expressed by the
president, Secretary Mellon, outstand-
ing financiers and others that some
further remission appears inevitable.
1T is useless" said President Hoo
YER, Ito blind ourselves to an obvious
fact"
Amendments Defeated
In approving the resolution the SEN
ate defeated a group of little related
amendments running from morator-
iums on farm loans to be requirement
for revision of the Versailles treaty.
There was not even the semblance OF
party lineup in the division. Six op-
ponents were Republicans, six Demo-
Gratis.
Chiefly the show was that OF Sena-
tor Hiram Johnson of California. This
arch-opponent Of the Hoover foreign
policy, whose hat has hovered near
the ring of presidential candidacy,
made one remark Tuesday night
which Immediately was seized upon by
those who have sought him as an op-
ponent to Herbert Hoover next year.
Outlining his demand that the gov
ernment drop European troubles and
think of distress at home, he assert
ed:
II am ready to stand before the
American people upon proposition
such as that advanced here today"
Begin 12-Day Vacation
Fifteen days the new congress has
labored and the leaders are we'll
pleased with the progress their
forces have made.
Wednesday the members began q
! 12-day vacation, lull preceding the
really serious grind on important
legislation which will occupy them
until next June.
There will be a good bit of oppo-
sition in the path of the Hoover do
mestic program, some OF it impor-
tant. The big question mark OF in
creased taxation finds the Demo-
cratic forces still shrinking from q
decision on making program Of
their own in place of the stiff boosts
which the administration recon-
mended even in the face of presi-
Dental election next November.
Many Issues Near
Prohibition, farm relief, Muscle
Shoals, Veterans cash and pension
| demands, cash outlays for unem-
ployed, and all the other everlasting
sources of struggle and friction, are
lust around the corner.
This is what congress has accom-
plished to date:
Passed 4 5000. 100000 appro-
priation for the veterans ad-
ministration, and some addi-
tional items for employment
! services.
Pushed consideration OF the
! $500, ,00O,0 900 reconstruction cor
poration in committee to the
point that it can be brought out
| for action soon after recon-
vening.
The house passed and sent to
the senate q bill to make $780,.
100000 available for farm land
bank loans.
The senate confirmed numer.
Gus nominations and initiated
several new inquiries.