Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-10
SH|PSTEAD ASSA|LS
.lDEBT SUGGESTIONS
Calls Cancellation Requests
Bid to Finance Other
Nations Wars.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

BY q. GOULD LlNCOLN.
without attempting any direct at
kacks by resolution upon the policy of
the United States Government with re-
gard to the war debts or the protective
tariff. the International Chamber of
Commerce, following q weeks discus
sion of the worldwide business situa-
ton, adjourned yesterday afternoon.
Correctly or not, the impression had
been given wide publicity that the
financiers and business men Of other
nations we're coming to washington to
demand, through the international
chamber. some readjustment, If not ac-
tual cancellation Of the war debts. 1t
also was suggested that oeteEHIne9
effort would be made to bring to neao
foreign opposition 70 the AIle4loa"
tariff. ,-
The Hoover administration. however,
did not hesitate to let 1t be known tnat
IL was inimical to any Suggestion Io[
the cancellation of the war deots. II
there was any doubt OF that TACT tne
statement made early last week Dy Sec-
retary Mellon Of the Treasury Depart
nent set that doubt at rest. Presioent
Hoover, In his address to the chamber
At its opening session, discussed tne
need of limiting ornaments as an ala
to business recovery.
Views Meet DisapprOval.
- the debates at the sessions Of the
International chamber the American
taviff mas denounced by speakers, some
If whom expressed their belief IN 1ree
trade The cancellation OF the war
debts was suggested as means OF al
ievistinr conditions throughout the
world and permitting nations TO get on
their feet again. AS the United STATES
IS the creditor nation for a MAJOR pate
If these debts, such o proposal amounts
to a forgiving OF the oentS ny 'i4o
American people. ,. vet
Nth disauproval not only in WINE
House circles, but also among meHD ysIs
of Congress now in washington. Fot
example, Senator Henrik Sni n.eraher
IF the Senate Foreign Relations COM
rnittee. made sharp comment last nlgntt
,inon the ideas advanced by some OF
the delegates to the international cnam-
her meeting Senator Boran OF 1oaLIo,
chairman Of the Foreign helaClonIS
Committee, inttmated that ne Wou-u
nave something to say in the 1uVuEe
ahout. the conference and some OF tne
enSeestions advanced there. In the past
the idaho Senator has ntimateo tnat
under certain conditions. q reouctlon
or cancellation Of the war debt mlgns
he worthy Of consideration. Among
those conditions, however, he has men
tioned the need Of cancelling also the
reuarations now being exacted from
Germany by the allied nations.
HThe meeting Of the international
Chamber of Commerce at washington,
said Senator Shipstead in statement
issued last night, seems to have oeen
more political than commercial OF
economic in character.
No Guarantee Of Amity Seen.
SPeoule who believe that the Ameri-
can taxpayers should pay the bills tnat
foreign countries owe us Will get mucn
comfort from the speeches OF some Of
the European delegates. They cali tnaL
friendly cooperation, in the interest OF
peace. These people evidently forget
that European nations owe us only LOT
goods bought here and that we have
plenty of mortgages Of our own TO pay.
what foreign governments pay US
on their debts amounts to less than
one-haf of per cent Of their national
income, less than per cent of their
national budget, and less than Is per
cent Of what they spend for armamentS
for war. Their armies are 70 per cent
greater than they were before the war.
II we should agree to shave our tax
payers pay WIldJ JLlcy OWc 10 QUILL 40
sumption of debts would release further
credit with which to increase their
armies and navies, and II we pay their
debts, we have no guarantee that they
win be so friendly that they may not
use their armies and navies against US
or against each other.
"It is true they all signed the kellogg
BRAND pact to renounce war, but then
why all this preparation for war? To
ask us to pay their debts is really
asking us to finance their war pro-
gram. They may call it friendly CO.
operation, If we do so, and say we are
showing signs Of intelligence and broad
vision that will make for friendly rela-
tons between neighbors. If man will
only be your friend on the condition
that you pay his bills, his friendship
Is of doubtful value.
stripped of its mask Of propaganda
that has been going on here for years,
this talk Of friendly cooperation con-
sists 80 per cent OF suggestions that
our taxpayers should pay what foreign
governments owe us, and that we make
some kind of an agreement in high
sounding altruistic phrases which really
mean that when the war comes we
shall agree to fight on the right side
in order TO get peace.
Pact Revision Called Bugaboo.
"Co-operation outside Of these things
does not seem to be mentioned much,
nor Is it considered practical The
American people have always been, and
will continue to be willing to cooperate
In doing their share to further human
welfare. and in order that humanity
shall have a better life.
"As long as the Chamber OF Com
inerce discusses political questions, why
do they not discuss the question OF the
revision of the treaty OF versailles?
That Is the ghost that really makes
them all nervous. That they only talk
of in whispers.
THE League of Nations, 1t is charged,
has appointed COMMITTEES whose pur-
poee it is TO induce China TO violate
fhe Hague treaty, which Roosevelt sue
ceeded in negotiating, outlawing the
opium trafic in China. They are en-
deayorins TO induce China to establish
an opium monopoly and again legalize
the growing of the opium poppy.
"The United States delegates at Varl-
ous conferences have unsuccessfuIy en-
deavored TO induce other governments
10 cooperate to enforce The Hague
convention. They have failed because
FIIronean countries have had enormous
revenues from this nefarious trafnc
Our Government has on various occa-
.sions endeavored to get their co-opera-
ton, to reduce armies and navies' III
the interest OF the taxpayers and peace,
and in this we have failed.
Fertile Field for Cooperation.
Here are a few fields for cooperation
whose soil is fertile and capable OF
hearing good fruit When European
governments will join us in cultivating
this vineyard. they will find US more
than willing TO cooperate, and 90 more
than our share"