Evening star., 1932-07-28
WATSON AROUSES
DEBTS CUT TALK
WITH ARMS STAND
Continued From First Pagel

to trade debt reduction or cancellation
for disarmament. He said:
1T is not up to us to call a
conference for the purpose Of cancel
ing the debts the other nations owe US.
1t Is their first move on the
checkerboard, and that move should be
one Of actual disarmament"
The view that debts revision might
be to, the interest of this country was
expressed today by Senator Glass.
Democrat, of Virginia, in discussing
the proposal of Senator Borah, Repub-
lican, OF Idaho, for a world conference
to consider debts and other postwar
problems.
Talking informally with newspaper
men, the former Secretary OF the
Treasury SAID he had stated explicitly"
in the Senate few weeks ago that he
"dissented from the view that there
was to be no readIustment Of foreign
indebtedness"
II pointed out" Glass said. "that
aside from sentimental aspects of the
question it might come to our own es-
sential interests to readjust the in
debtedneSS.
Il made a speech three or four years
ago that was widely printed in this
country and in Europe. when we were
considering the settlement with Great
Britain. in which I protested that we
were playing a shylock game.
Those people paid in blood and we
paid in money. They lost 16 900, 900
men in dead and wounded and We lost
100000. They were fighting the same
battle for years before we got in.
."Those people fought for the preser-
vation OF civilization three years before
we went In. It was just as much a
war for the preservation of civilization
before we went in as after we got In
Mellon Sees Hoover.
Watson's pronouncement was issued
a while after Ambassador Mellon talked
with President Hoover, and Secretary
Of State Stimson with Senator Borah,
who suggested that a trade of debt
cancellation for disarmament be con-
sidered at a world conference.
Watson said he had not discussed the
Borah plan with Mr.. Hoover. But it
was believed the Senator's announce
ment would prevent very speedy prog
ress toward a world meeting unless Eu-
rope first does something about arms.
And no official as yet has finally and
definitely opposed a World Economic
Conference to talk about debts-pro-
vided arms are reduced.
Only yesterday, Ambassador Edge in
Paris informed Premier Herriot that
the basis for cooperation between the
countries lies in disarmament.
Administration interest In the inter-
national situation and Borah'S pro-
posal for a world economic parley, was
manifested further by the conference
between Secretary StimSon and the
Idaho Senator. Stimson called the
meeting and Borah's proposition was
discussed While there was evidence
that he had received encouragement,
Borah declined to comment on the talk
and so did Stinson.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Mellon reached
the White House from his London post.
His visit coming at the time of the
discussion over debts and reparations
added significance to tie talk He en-
phasized that an international confer
ence would be almost impossible before
Autumn because of the British I'm
perial Conference now in progress at
Ottawa. He declined to comment on
the proposal otherwise.
The former Treasury head delivered
f1rst-hand report to the President and
Secretary Stinlson on the European
situation, including the recent Lausanne
conference which reached an agree
ment Tor the virtual elimination OF
reparations
The statement of Senator Watson on
the debt situation fellows
Il stated on the floor of the Senate
that thought it would be entirely
proper to call an international confer
ence to discuss the further use of silver
in the world. but I do not believe it is
up to us in the first instance to call
such a conference for the purpose of
canceling the debts the other nations
owe U.s.
In my Judgment. it is their first
move on the checkerboard and that
move should be one Of actual disarma-
ment, not mere expressions of tnten-
tions to dismantle ships or to de-
mobilize armies or not to indulge in
further expenditures for enlarged mill
tary equipment, but one in which thev
shall unitedly agree on q program Of
disarmament
1T is unthinkable that we should
permit them to keep the money they
owe us to enable them to build up a
larger military establishment on the
continent and as far as we can see that
is their plan and purpose"