Evening star., 1934-05-10
President Declared to Have
Opened Door for British
Negotiations.
HOPES ALSO ARE RAISED
BY FRANCE AND BELGIUM
Ambassadors Laboulaye and May
Make Queries at State
Department.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
An expected early reopening of con-
versations with Great Britain gave
promise today of a possible break Ill
the war debts deadlock.
Now that President Roosevelt has
opened the door for negotiations, State
Department officials frankly anticl-
pated an early call from 81. Ronald
Lindsay, the British Ambassador.
Signs appeared both here and in
London of willingness to talk debts,
and there were definite indications
that officials of both nations are feel
ing about for some formula that can
BE- placed on the table.
Another sign of leavening the debt
mass was seen in calls yesterday by
Andre de Laboulaye. French Ambas-
sador, and Paul May, Belgian Ambas-
sador, on Undersecretary of State
Phillips.
BarthOu Explains Call.
Foreign Minister Barthou in Paris
explained that Laboulaye had sought
an explanation of the johnson act
which prohibits nations in default to
the United States from selling securi-
ties in this country. The Ambassador
Barthou said. wished to keep posted
to see if there is any possibility OF a
token payment"
France, openly in default, has never
made a token payment and news that
the Quai d'Orsay was even thinking
of one was received by administra-
ton officials with high interest.
Laboulaye's visit was marked by the
first State Department acknowledge
ment in many months that Frances S
envoy had directly discussed the debt
question.
Diplomatic chiefs here displayed
considerable interest in the reported
reconsideration by the British cabinet
Of the previously intimated plan to
tender another token in partial pay
ment on the $85,670,765 due next
month.
Effect May Reach Far.
Czechoslovakia. Italy, Lithuania,
and Latvia followed Great Britain's
token lead last December and the
belief was expressed in official circles
here that an accord with Britain
would 60 far toward inSuring an
agreement with those four nations.
In a restatement of the American
attitude toward war debts. President
Roosevelt yesterday called for an
insistence upon payment by the
debtor nations, but a willingness to
talk over their individual problems
separately and give consideration,
tn f0r tnkny, no ay1f c
or for new terms of settlement.
1t was said in official quarters later
that further clarification of the Presi-
dents position on debts must await
his debt message to Congress He has
not yet set definite date tor sending
the message and it is understood sew
eral vital developments were expected
before the message is dispatched
Definite Plan Expected.
Authoritative sources insisted the
Presidents message would contain
definite suggestions for debts settle
ment and not merely catalogue the
twelve billion dollar debt owed this
country.
President Roosevelt emphasized yes
IeTudy IIldI tIle Ildollioiidl hIutIlcdIl
attitude on the collection of war debts
remains unchanged and. that this
country expected to be repaid.
He made it clear he did not con-
slider the johnson act made any vital
change in the administration attitude
toward token payments. At the time
token payments were made by five
nations last December, it was eX-
planned. he did not, in view of the
circumstances. consider such token
paying nations were in default.
PRESS SEES LITTLE HOPE.