Evening star., 1932-12-13
NEW FRENCH CRISIS
F., UNFORESEEN HERE
D. S. Officials Regard Paris
| Action as Making Issue
| of Minor Matter.
(Continued From First Page.)

COntlnued From F1rSt Pa8e.)
from Germany This is the reason why
lany French government must today
tsubmit the question OF payment to the
French lower house.
Blow Not Unexpected.
The rejection of the draft note as
submitted to the Foreign Relations and
Finance Committees is a heavy, but
mot unexpected, blow for Premier Her
riot. He is reported to be decided 10
slight to the bitter end and hopes that
nhe last note sent by the British gov
sernment to the United States last night.
accepting the point of view of Secre-
tary StimSon in regard to the reSerVa-
etionS contained in the memorandum CT
last Sunday night, to certain extent,
will influence the French Chamber.
But, unfortunately, things have gone
pretty far in France. The French press
almost unanimously objects to payment
without strong reservations. Public
opinion is infiamed and manifestations
of public bodies have taken place yes
terday and today in Paris before the
Chamber of Deputies and the American
embassy. The members of the French
Parliament are usually very sensitive TO
such manifestations of public opinion
,and guide their actions frequently more
in accordance with the popular feeling
than with what is believed to be real
craftsmanship.
In Washington the entire turn was
unexpected and to a certain extent
spuzZling.
The debtor governments know by now
THAT the United States Government has
Emo power to accept any reservations 10
1.-THE payment due under the old agree
Ements made and ratified by the Amerl-
tcan Congress. Consequently American
kffcialS do not understand why these
governments should insist on theo-
fretical reservation when the American
lGovernment has granted the maximum
lat can under the circumstances, ana
ethat is to promise the debtor nations
THAT the President will recommend to
iCongress a study of the entire debt
huestion with the object OF revising the
future payments in accordance with
the capacity of payment of each in
diyidual nation.
Issue of Minor Matter.
The Congress has not had yet an
hpportunity to express itself as a BODY
ON this matter, but from the declara-
tionS of many members OF both houses
made to the press in the course OF tne
aaSt few weeks it is obvious that nelther
the Senate nor the House OF Repre-
fsentatives is opposed to re-examl-
nation of the debt question.
! Consequently, it is asked in othclal
quarters, why should the debtor nations
try to make an issue out OF minor
matter?
Whether the payments due on De-
cember Is are regarded as an advance
on the final sums to be paid Is a mat
ter of no consequence. When the mat
ter of debts is taken up again by the
debtor nations and the American Gov
ernment, it seems that it would be easy
to obtain sufficient reduction to cover
the amounts paid this month.
The total matter involved which VIII
come under discussion is more than
s22 .OOO, 100000, while the payments Que
on Thursday are less than S124OOO 600.
It is reasonable to think that If France
were to get a reduction of say so per
cent Of her present Indebtedness $40
600 600 more or less would not make
much difference. And if it were neces-
sary. for reasons of internal politics,
to represent the amount paid on De-
cember is as having been subtracted
from the amount still payable after an
agreement has been reached, mere is
no reason to believe that anybody would
object to it.