Evening star., 1932-12-18
Public Opinion Forced
Great Britain to Paw
By A. G. GARDINER.

LONDON, December 17.-Events this
week have fulfilled the confident pre-
dictions expressed in these cables. This
observer never Wayered in his convic-
ton that England would pay and that
France would not pay the December
war debt installments to the United
States.
Public opinion in both countries gov
erned the CecISlOnS-the British ParIia-
ment accepting the policy OF the cab
net without division and the French
ChanDer CT Deputies rejecting the pro-
posal OF the Herriot cabinet by an
overwhelming vote. In each case the
parliamentary action represented a de-
c1slye balance of public feeling outside.
There were only two serious critics of
the British governments policy. Win
ston Churchill and David LLOYD George,
and though they are the most brilliant
living parllamentarians. both had the
House OF Commons almost unanimously
against them. Indeed. Lloyd George
was nearly EoWled down and presented
the pathetic spectacle of a man Who
once the magician of the House, was
lett without party or friend to svp-
port him.
Lloyd georges argument was No
parley no pay but it was his attempt
TO convict Stanley Baldwin CT sole re-
sponslblllty Tor the debt settlement
with America that angered the House.
He fourished in his hand cabinet doc
uments which. he alleged proved that
ne had wanted a settlement in terms
ol the Balfour note and would not have
consented to BaldWin's terms.
Sir Robert Horne. chancellor of the
exchecquer in Lloyd Georges govern
ment, threw over Lloyd George and
defended Baldwin. and the House re-
Sented Lloyd Georges effort to use the
occasion for personal advantage against
me man who Was chiefly responsible for
the overthrow of his government in
I922. The incident showed that I.lovd
george mad entirely miScalculated the
lnoicate that his political star has
finally set.
Churchill's attack equally failed to
WIN support. He wants Great Britain
10 act alone to procure the best terms
possible from the United States and
put the screw on European debtors 10
pay England. This is merely crying
for the moon. Since France did nof t
MAKE payment on account of her owr
oebt to the United States, what reason
is there TO suppose that she would helm
Britain pay Britain's debt to the United
States? Frances position throughout
has been, No reparations, no war
oeots,' and her refusal to pay America
clearly implies that if We continue to
pay on the present scale we must shou!-
der the burden alone. In these circum-
stances 1t would be madness to enter
upon a European dog fight for debts
which are manifestly uncollectable.
X x
Moreover. the effect OF the Churchill
policy would be the destruction of the
Lausanne agreement and the collapse
OF the nations into the chaos from
Whlch that agreement rescued Europe
last Summer. Britain seeks a final sat-
isfactory settlement with the United
States, but is equally concerned to save
the Lausanne settlement. on the pres
ervation Of which depends the continue
ance of harmony among European na-
tlons and the stability and security OF
the financial situation on the Continent.
The spectacle of the United States
squeezing England. of England squeez-
ing France. and of France squeezing
bankrupt Germany is an GnthInkable
nightmare, and, whatever happens in
America, the maintenance O. the Lau-
same agreement will be the cardinal
aim OF Great Britain. But in view of
the action of France, the maintenance
OF that agreement means that the last
war debt payment to America on the
present scale has been made.
One Of the main subjects Of press
comment on the situation relates to
Neville Chamberlain's justification of
the statement in one of the British
notes that tho Io,,soppo aurnau,ap, had
the cognizance and approval OF the
United States The chancellor OF the
Exchequer quoted the Hoover-Lava;
statement and added the entirely new
fact that the United States Government
tsen had intimated to the British Am
bassador that if the European powers
devised a reasonable reparations set
t:nent this would be the best method
of approach to revision Of the war debt
due the United States"
tcopyright 1e32J