Evening star., 1932-11-16
PRESIDENT OPENS
WAR DEBT TALKS
WITH CABINET MEN
Conference With Mills Lasts
Half Hour-Stimson Is
Luncheon Guest.
DEPARTMENTS ASSEMBLE
INFORMATION ON PROBLEM
q. S. Expected to Insist on Some
Sort of Payments on Amounts.
Due Next Month.
n The Associated Press.

b. the Associated Press.
Confronted by the pressing war debt
difficulties, President Hoover quickly
went into the matter with his advisers
on his return to Washington today.
For almost half an hour, the Secre-
tary of the Treasury, Ogden Mills. con-
ferred with the Chief Executive. Secre-
tary of State Stimson also had lunch
con engagement at the White House,
with opportunity to help the President
on ARRANGEMENTS being made for the
meeting soon to come between him and
President-elect Roosevelt.
Among others who called at the
White House was Senator Reed OF
PENNSYLVANIA, a Republican leader
who was one of those consulted at the
time the moratorium was announced
Reed stayed with the Chief Executive
half an hour, and had no comment on
their conversation on leaving.
The Pennsylvania in the past mas
opposed debt revision.
Official Information Lacking.
Although official information was
lacking, the impression in informed
quarters was that this country would
insist on some sort of payments on
amounts due from the debtor nations
December is.
How accurately this represented the
administration attitude remained purely
conjectural, however, none OF the nlgn
officials familiar with the situation be-
ing willing as yet to state their views
for publication.
Data Being Assembled.
Assembling Of data on the many
financial intricacies OF the situation
went ahead at the State and Treasury
Departments.
IN the situation surrounding the war
obligations, England, France and Bel
gium stood side by side today, eagerly
awaiting the outcome of White House
conferences on this Nations answer to
serarate but similar requests for q re-
onaning Of the complex debt problem.
Belgium yesterday joined the lead OF
her two feilou-debtors in seeking an
extension of the Hoover moratorium
and re-examination of the huge war
Obligations held by the United States.
Her brief note, making "the same
request" conceded with indications the
administration believes this Govern
ment should adopt an attitude more
rigid than that Of a free granting OF
extensions Apparently it was felt that
some debtor nations were well able to
pay their share Of the $l23,00o,000 due
December IS.
Defeat Of Revision Forecast.
Possibly indicative also of the ulti-
mate congressional decision on the debt
question was statement by Repre-
sentative Rainey, Democratic floor lead
er in the House, that any move toward
debt revision would be rejected I'm this
or any other Congress,
Factors in the situation immedi-
ately confronting Mr.. Hoover included
Greece's default on payment due last
week and Hungary'S notice that she
cannot meet her December installment.
Belgium, which has paid $52, ,19l ,273
of a debt funded at $400, 900 and
owes S2.125,OO0 in December, referred
In her note to the British and French
requests, recalled that she adhered 10
the moratorium and later, "in the in
terests of peace and economic recOv-
ery," to the Lausanne agreements. The
note added:
In so doing, it consented to make
sacrifices which were particularly heavy
and which have profoundly affected the
financial situation Of Belgium. The Bel
GUM government remains convinced
that the difficulties with which the
world is faced today cannot be overcome
unless the nations pursue resoluoe
policy of cooperation and mutual as
6istance."
Rainey said he saw mo reason why
the United States Government should
give the foreign debtors any more
money" In Mississippi, Senator Harri-
son, prominet Democrat, predicted Con-
gress would not modify" its expressed
position against further reductions or
cancellation.
Senators Swanson, Virginia, and
Fletcher, Florida, were two other Dem
ocrats joining in this view.
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