The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-09-10

of Societies and Clubs of Water bury, have sent a telegram to President Roosevelt and Secretary of State Cordell Hull endorsing the action of the American League for Italy in asking President Roose- welt to call a conference at Wash ington of the European Powers in- volved in the Italo-E Ethiopian dis pute with a view to providing Italy with territorial concessions in Africa as we'll as war debt reduce ton in consideration of her ceas- ing hostilities. The letter, which was signed by Luigi Crisculolo. New York banker and chairman of the executive committee of the league, pointed out that the Ver- sailles treaty had deprived Italy of the fruits of victory which had taken care of all of the other AL lies in the Great War. It was stat ed that in entering the war on the side of the Allies, Italy had as- sumed an obligation that was far greater than her resources war ranted; that her reward for help ing to win the war was not conn mensurate with the sacrifices she made in men and money; that as a consequence, Italy's internal debt increased from about fourteen bil- lion lire to a hundred billion, apart from what she owes to the United States, England and France. The letter goes on to recite that Italy has scant natural resources and has to expand in Ethiopia, following the policy of all great nations in history. As compensation to the United States for making a further sacrifice in the war debt owed by Italy, MT. Criscuolo says that such an act on the part of the United States would stop the war. stimu- late business in Italy and cause large purchases to be made in the United States for Italian industries. The leagues letter to President Roosevelt follows:
 Dear MT. President:-
 This organization is com posed of Americans who wish to see maintained the friendly
 relations that have existed be-
 tween the United States and
 Italy, and therefore hope that
 the United States will commit
 no act that will destroy that friendship.
 The present difficulty that l Italy finds herself in Is a par
 tial outcome of the obligations
 he assumed by entering the
 Great War on the side of the
 Allies. In doing that. she as-
 stunned an obligation far great
 CT than her resources war ranted. Her reward for help
 ing to win the Great War was
 not commensurate with her
 sacrifices in men and money. As consequence of the
 Great War, Italy's internal
 debt alone increased from 14 billion lire to about 100 bil-
 lion. Aside from that she owes
 over a billion dollars to the
 United States, and large sums to England and France. Italy
 has scant natural resources and
 the burden is greater than she
 can bear. In order to com.
 pensate herself for what her
 Allies failed to do, Italy is em.
 barking on the Ethiopian ad-
 venture, following the policy
 of all great nations in history.
 without regard for the League
 Of Nations of other useless in-
 stitutions which were organiz-
 ed to promote world peace but
 have been a signal failure.
 The United States Is not di.
 rectly concerned in what trans
 pires in Ethiopia, even remote
 ly, but we are concerned in
 maintaining peace. if possible.
 even at a cost of making sa-
 crifces. If you will permit me, shall suggest that the United 1 States call a conference of
 representatives of England,
 France and Italy--at Wash-
 ington--at an early date. and
 at that conference to propose l to the group that the United
 states will cancel all or a great
 part of Italy's war debt if
 England and France will do
 likewise, and if England and
 France will further offer to
 Italy some of their colonial
 lands suitable for coionization
 by Italians.
 | Such an act may prevent
 war in Ethiopia, will pave the
 way for world peace, and will
 Compensate Italy for what the
 Allies neglected to do in the
 past. There Is no probability
 that Italy's debts to the United | states. England and France
 VIII ever be paid. The sort of
 renunciation which I suggest
 would stimulate business in
 Italy with the result that mill
 lions of dollars of goods would
 be purchased by Italy in the | United States for Industry and I not for war purposes.
 I thrust that tha suRresfion