WAR DEBT DEAL

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 38, 15 February 1933, Page 4

WAR DEBT DEAL

COLONIES TO AMERICA

A NOVEL PROPOSAL

Alleging that tho British and French possessions in the Caribbeau Sea "constitute potentially a battery of guns pointed at the Amorican continent," Mr. Arthur H. Goisslcr, for eight years United States Minister to Guatemala, has proposed the voluntary transfer of these islands to the United States "as an expression of good will" on tho part of Great Britain and Franco in connection with their expectation that respective war debts may be revised substantially downward, says the "San Francisco Chronicle." Tho former diplomat, now a lawyer i;i Oklahoma City, was recently in Washington discussing his project. Senator Thomas P. Goro of Oklahoma already, has a resolution pending, suggesting the transfer to tho United States by her European debtors of Gorman colonial possessions acquired by them in the World Wa. settlements. Mr. Geissler's memorandum of his plan is as follows:— "Extending from the coast of South Carolina, past Florida, and toward the coast of Venezuela are these groups of islands hold by' Great Britain:— Sq. miles. Population. The Bermudas, 19 30,814 Tho Bahamas 4396 00,367 Jamaica 4450 074,742 Leeward Islands 713 121,518 Windward Islaud3 .... 516 183,557 Barbados IGB 168,299 Trinidad and Tobago .. 1974 397,100 "France exercises sovereignty over Martinique (385 square miles, 235,000 inhabitants), Guadeloupe (582 square miles, about 200,000 inhabitants), and several smaller isles. There is also the colony of British Honduras (8598 square miles, 50,286 inhabitants). "The present ownership of these colonies dates back to the days when France and Britain had dreams of empire embracing Louisiana, Mexico, and Central America; when Britain planned to control tho Nicaraguan canal, and France to build the Panama. The aggregate area of the islands is relatively small. CONDITIONS CHANGED. "Since they were acquired the United States has come into existence. It purchased Louisiana from France. It promulgated the Monroe Doctrine. With the acquiescence of England and of French^ interests, compensation having been given, it built- and owns the ■Panama Canal, and [has an exclusive option on the Nicaragua waterway. The European Powers have now no more need of strategic bases in the Caribbean than has America for islands in the English Channel.or the Mediterranean, "There have been numerous cases of transfer of colonies, prompted by good will or policy, as, for instance, the conveyance of Louisiana by France to the United States in 1803 and of Heligoland to Germany in 1890. The Heligoland transfer was part of a three-corner-ed deal whereby the British acquired supremacy in Zanzibar from tho French and the Germans and the British waived all claims to Madagascar in favour of France. "Whether, in the event of acquiring the colonies under discussion, tho' United States would wish to extend its sovereignty over all or any of them is a question to be considered when the occasion arises. It is possible that Congress might prefer to accept only such as are suited for defence, leaving the others to form independent governments or to join other republics.