Detroit evening times., 1945-09-19
PAUL
NlALLON
Behind
The News

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1S-In-
w itial protests from two Re-
publican congressman against
the British proposition for more
money, are apt 10 be followed
by an expanding run of bitter
criticism.
The British have monopolized
press propaganda on the subject
for two well-prepared months.
A fair presentation of the
facts has not been made TO the
public. largely bee cause the
American negotiators are fol-
lowing a silent, waiting policy.
Yet the true circumstances
are known in Congress, and they
are so disturbing they have cre-
ated a rather general impress
sion that the current British
government is audaciously inn
posing upon the intelligence, and
helpful attitude of this nation.
A beneficial outcome has un-
queStionably been prejudiced by
the British preliminary tactics.
The facts are:
THE British asked and have
i been promised cancellation
of the S29,000.000,000 of lend
lease obligations, sum which
would have operated the high
spending Roosevelt government
for three peacetime years. with
out any one paying a cent Of
taxes.
This is TO be forgiven and for
gotten. But the $4,000. 100000
which the British got from
within the empire for war. I'm
der similar arrangements of
lend-leaSe, is not TO be forgiven
or forgotten.
Indeed, the only official ink
lingS of what is 10 be done
about this war debt within the
Empire is that it may be re-
funded. scaled down and paid.
Not a move has been made, and
today, il stands as valid exist
ing debt.
In short. she comes to us
pleading her inability to pay us
single hapenny on the
$4,000. 100000 she owes us, but
makes no similar claim to India.
Canada, Australia and others
of the empire who furnished half
as much. and expect to get some-
thing back.
ONLY a feeble mind could be
" imposed upon TO cept
such a one-Sided imposition on
friendship.
The American delegation will
surely insist she set her house
in order and if we are TO for
give her all, her own people
should alSo-and do il first.
But she comes TO us for more
money $4,000, 100000 to Sc ,000,-
100000 more money.
She does not send to us Off
cialS of her new Socialist gov
ernment. but two holdover rep
reSentativeS of her former cap
italist regime Lords Keynes
and Halifax.
The mentor, or brain truster,
of her new government was at a
labor party conference at Black
pool the day her delegates ar
rived here.
He, Prof. Harold Laski. was
quoted that day as telling his
own people: THE age of capital
ism is drawing TO a close"
Here they arc seeking TO draw
S35, ,000,000.000 out Of our capi-
talistic nation and telling us our
way of life is dead.
NOW we want 10 give them
~ the money. We want to
give it at an interest rate Of
2.3S per cent (exactly what we
pay our own people for the
money! but Keynes and Halifax
say this is not possible, as they
could not afford to pay interest.
or make a regular commercial
loan, even If we wipe out the
old debt, as we did the debt of
the last war.
But they do not intend TO
treat their own people so shab-
billy any more than they intend
10 treat their dominions that
way.
They expect TO buy the
mines, power plants, railroads
and bank of England from their
h att d capitalists with hard
cash. issuing bond s TO their
people. bonds which they
proudly proclaim will bear in
terest and be liquidated-paid
off in full in 20 years or so.
Those bonds will pay twice as
much interest as they cannot
afford 10 pay us.
Yet they Shamefully claim
they cannot meet tho bare in
tcrcst without profit We are
giving every one else.
Their proposition thus falls
down into it's own abSurdity.
They cannot pay us; but they
can pay their empire.
In borrowing new money they
cannot pay us interest; but they
propose socialism with big in
terests s-and complete pay-off-
TO their own people.
They send us not their chan
cellor of eXchequer and I h r
planner, but two leftovers Of
the Churchill regime who can
not control future British fiscal
policy. and whose promises can