Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1933-03-02
93Qbi4&6/
National Topics Interpreted 4 fE777|3ItE
by William BrucLart- Ea83Iy|

any more. and the Russian Soviet
has repudiated all debts made by
the Czarlst and de facto governments
preceding the present type of control
In Russia.
Publication of the agenda, the
things to be talked about, at the in
ternatlonal economic and monetary
conference, shows that the rest of the
world, or its experts, considers the
same thing paramount that Is fos-
tered as the highest hope In this
country. 1t Is the desire for higher
prices of commodities. And these
prices, 1t may be added necessarily
revolve around the values of the
products of the farm. Thus 1t is DEM
onstrated again that the farm ques-
ton Is basic.
The conference program, necessarily
prepared two or three months In adj
vance of its use In the conference,
treats of tariff readjustment, readjust-
ment of international debts, abolition
of trade restrictions, the sterilization
of currencies on the gold standard to
which the United States has adhered
SO tenaciously, and steps to balance
the budgets of whatever governmental
units there are.
or course, the discussion already
has been initiated on tie question of
debt REIMBURSEMENT. 1t had to start
with the United States. Our nation
Is the creditor OF all OF them.
Every one here with whom / have
talked, agrees that the theory is right.
The debtors, who are creditors OF
other nations, must know to what ex-
tent they are going to be let Off be-
fore they feel free to let somebody
else off. So it is a circle which can
be unlocked by the United States.
But there ts anUrfTHr gfTfe. II rs III
the other side that the trick Hes. The
question Is. "Will
Here's Where the debtor nations
the Trick Lies to whom the United
States makes com
cessions carry those concessions ON
through to the ultimate dehtorsT II
they do not, the experts here say there
Is nothing to be gained by making
concessions.
To state the problem another way,
unless such concessions as are made
by the United States are reflected all
along the line. the United States will
have been Just plain sucker. Uncle
Sam again will have been played us
the victim In the shell game There
was no pea under either shell when
the game began.
From these facts, 1t becomes per-
fectly obvious why consideration
must be given to the program of the
international economic and monetary
conference alongside Of the discus
sions now going ON between the United
States and those powers to whom it
loaned money during and after the
World war;
Sponsors of the agenda for the con-
ference decline to admit 1t, but I'M
biased views hold that the program
for the conference Is too complex to be
worked out at one series of meetings.
The experts take the position, how
ever, that because the problem as a
whole Is SO complex, 1t cannot be
dealt with by pieces They say that
when the pie has been cut, none Of the
pieces will serve the ends desired II
taken singly. That was the attitude
OF some of the leaders in the Hoover
administration 1t is, furthermore, the
attitude OF Mr.. Roosevelt and his as
soeiates now.
There is reason to believe, there
fore, that we are going to see a con-
tinuing series of international ex-
changes of views for quite some time.
1t Is necessary here to call atten-
ton to another factor In the whole
situation that has
Balky Horses begun to loom on
in Senate the horizon. The sit
uation that confront
ed Woodrow Wilson who, as PresI-
dent, sought to gain senate approval
of the Treaty of Versailles. The
treaty had the League of Nations
covenant as It's heart. The senate
refused to wear the halter. There
were a number of senator's who be-
came balky horses. They were called
the .irreconcilablesn
Whether their position was wrong
or right Is of no moment In this ar
ticle. The fact Is that the irrecon-
cilables blocked American adherence
to the Lear~e of Nations.
Now, there Is another group of
them. Several senator's remain In
fhp cannfo from that original prn1rp