Evening star., 1933-02-05
An Arrogant Attitude.

The idea, promulgated py MI. NAoii-
berlain, the British chancellor OF the
excheouer, that the European nations
in the debt of the United States intend
to bring about a reduction-a cancella-
tion-of a great part Of these debts
without giving anything in return, may
be popular on the other side OF the
Atlantic Ocean, but it will strike no
chord of sympathy here. France. by
her default Of the December payment
due the United States, has indicated
her position on the debts in way that
is Quite easy to understand. More re-
cent expressions of opinion in Paris
are indicative that the French may
take the same view of the debts owed
this country as that apparently taken
by Mr.. Chamberlain.
The arrogance Of the attitude Of the
foreign debtor nations. their assumption
Of the right to dictate terms to the
United States in regard to these debts,
Is a new if not pleasing wrinkle in the
age-old controversies between debtors
and creditors. These debtors under
take to arrogate to themselves the
authority and the moral right to say
to this country Just what they are going
to do about the debts. no matter what
the United States may desire. The
money leaned to these foreign govern
ments by the United States was not
forced upon them by this country.
It was granted at time when these
foreign nations we're glad enough to
receive it. Furthermore, contrary to
the idea which has been propagated
SO widely abroad, many of these loans
were made after the World War had
ended.
If the foreign debts are to be can
celed by the debtor nations it IS quite
clear that the taxpayers Of the United
States will foot the bill By the so-called
Lausanne agreement the foreign ma
tions have virtually written off the
reparations demanded of Germany. It
must be well understood, however, that
the United States did not share in those
German reparations. Nor did the
United States acquire huge tracts Of
territory In Africa and elsewhere. pos
sessions of the former German Empire,
as did the allied nations of Europe at
the close Of the war and under the terms
of the treaty of Versailles. For years
the foreign debtor nations have under
taken to link their debts to the United
States with the German payments to
themselves. There is not the slightest
justification for such a course
The temper of the American Con-
gress, which in the end must agree to
any debt settlement negotiated. has not
been improved by recent speeches of
Mr.. Chamberlain and others on the
other side OF the Atlantic Ocean. The
most recent evidence of the attitude of
the members of the Congress is the
adoption of measure to compel the
purchase Of American-pro goods
by the United States Government. The
evidence produced during the debate
on this measure, known as the wilson
bill in the House and as the johnson
amendment to the Treasury and Post
Oflce bill in the Senate, indicates con-
clusively that trade barriers have been
raised to a tremendous height against
American goods by Canada and other
foreign nations. It may be far cry
from the purchase of supplies by the
American Government to the debts
owed this country by the foreign ma
tions But in the minds of many men,
bers of Congress the idea has been
growing that the rest of the world is
banding together against American
trade and America: that pressure is
being brought to bear to compel a
cancellation of the debts no matter
what the American taxpayers may feel
about the matter. This is decidedly no
time, If there is to be final adjust
ment of the debt problem. for the
spokesmen Of foreign nations to con-
tinue the irritation of the American
Congress.