WAR DEBTS

Evening Star, Issue 21719, 14 May 1934, Page 9

WAR DEBTS

THE AMERICAN POLICY NO CHANCE Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright WASHINGTON, May 11. President lloosevelt made it clear on Friday that ho was opposed to participation in any general conference to consider a settlement of the world’s debts. At White House it was authoritatively explained that while the United States was perfectly* willing to enter any discussions concerning revision or readjustment of the existing debt funding agreement with any single nation, the United States would not join in any general discussions. President Roosevelt has left the door open for any suggestions from individual debtor nations, and there is still in high official circles the expectation that some hitherto undisclosed move will be made, either abroad or in Washington, to break the apparent war debts deadlock. The President still feels that the United States has laid down no rigid all-embracing policy. President Roosevelt, replying to questions of correspondents at a regular Press conference to-day, declared that he would not approve of any general conference on war debts, although intimations from London were current that Britain and other debtor nations would welcome an international discussion to clarify the situation. The President declared that his debt policy was unchanged. Ho added that he would send a debt message to the Congress within ten days, and pending this he had no statement to make concerning the situation.

REPORTED OFFER BY BRITAIN LONDON, May 13. (Received May 14; at 10 a.m.) The ‘ Sunday Chronicle ’ understands that Cabinet has decided to offer America £1,500,000 as a token payment, despite President Roosevelt’s intimation to Sir Ronald Lindsay (British Ambassador) that this will constitute default.