Evening star., 1932-12-02
Garner Predicts
Flat Refusal
by Z. S.
HOOVER WEIGHS
PARIS REQUEST
Plea Considered by
Cahinet-U. s. May
Not Reply.
The tert Of British and French
notes tCiU be found on Page A.
ny the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
A fiat prediction that Congress
will not act to relieve Americas
war debtors was made today by
Speaker Garner.
At about the same time, Secre-
tary Of State Stimson at the
White House told newspaper men
'it may not be necessary to reply
to the latest notes from Great
Britain and France asking sus-
pengion, respectively, of payments
Of S95, $4,000 and $20,O00,000 due
In less than two weeks.
Congress is not going to change
the situation" the Democratic
Vice President-elect told reporters.
"I said to Mr.. Hoover, when I
was down at the White House a
wee. or so ago, that the sooner
the European nations realized the
United States expects to be paid
the better off the whole world will
be-" Garner added.
II still think that.
They (the debtor nations) may
continue to talk about it all they
please, but Congress won't do any,
thing about it. We have the right
over here to do what we think
best. Just as they have"
Others powerful on Capitol Hill also
expressed strong opposition to acceding
to Great Britain and France
The Secretary of State gave the first
intilnation that the United States might
not answer the new debt communica-
lions as he hurried back to the State
Department after cabinet meeting at
which the war debt sisuation-and the
newly received French note in particu-
lar-were discussed.
''It may not be necessary to reply"
he told newspaper men over his shoul-
der. as he left the White House.
U. S. Position Clear.
While he did not elaborate, the state
ment was understood to mean the Gov
crnmant feels its position has been
clearly stated in its replies to the orig
inal requests and that the latest COM
mun.cations present no new proposals
requiring answer.
II answering the first British and
French notes as well as those from
oths.' debtors, President Hoover stated
that no reasons had been advanced to
Just fly suspending the December Is
payIlents.
H. added that he would recommend
to Congress the formation of an agency
to e) over the whole situation with the
debtor nations.
NJ. Hoover and Secretary Stimson got
thet' heads together soon after break
fast to pore over the new note from
France, a lengthy cablegram delivered
at the home of the Secretary last night
by Ambassador Paul Claudel. Only
about one-third as long as the 5000
word British note it resembled it in
voicing renewed demands for suspension
of this months payments and revision
Of the whole war debt structure.
Secretary Stimson went to the Execu-
tive Mansion more than half an hour
before the start of the Presidents semi
weeisly cabinet meeting. He smilingly
told newspaper men, in response to in
ouiry, that he bore the French note in
the fat brief case he carried.
The President Immediately began to
familiarize himself with the note OF the
Paris government, which expressed sat-
isfaction that he favored some review
of the debt field. Coupled with this
statement of satisfaction, however, the
French note reiterated the request for
q moratorium.
State Department aides worked much
of the night in its translation.
British Plea Analyzed
Before the French note was made
public, official Washington had begun
a careful analysis Of the British thesis
that dire consequences threatened the
world If war debt payments were re-
sumed.
The temper Of war debt sentiment
at the Capitol was quickly Shown.
Senator Smoot of Utah, Republican
chairman, and Harrison OF MISSISSIPPI
ranking Democrat on the Senate
Finance Committee, were warmly CRIT
ical of the British statement that in
creased tariffs and restrictions against
American goods would be necessary Il
payments were resumed
(There was included in the note thf
statement that If the obligations mus
b. met. the Anglo-American trade bal
anca must be strengthened In Grea
BriJain's favor)
IN the present circumstances, thl
could only be done by adopting measure
which would further restrict purchase
OF American goods" the note SAID, aod
ing that:
To the extent, therefore, that pay
ments were resumed to the United
States Treasury definite and unfavor
able reaction must follow to the Unite'
States producer"
Others who read the British note in
clined 10 the rather general belief Una