WAR DEBTS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 24 January 1925, Page 5

WAR DEBTS.

AMERICA’S ATTITUDE. ASSOCIATES TREATED GENEROUSLY. \ d Y CABLE—PBESS ASSOCIATION—COPYBIGHT WASHINGTON, Jan. 22. Defending America’s attitude on wardebts, Senator Borah told the Senate that the 'United States was more generous to its war associates than to the American taxpayers. Replying to a speech by Deputy Marin in Paris, Mr. Borah said it was not justifiable that America should be regarded abroad as a Shyloclt. The settlement with Britain was the most generous proposition in history, America having written off nearly four billions. Under the terms of the settlement British taxpayers pay 6,500,000,000 dollars, while American taxpayers were paying 817,265,000 dollars, the difference being represented by the different rates on liberty bonds and on the British loan under the settlement. Mr. Borah declared that if America settled on the same basis with. France, the settlement would be on, a basis of fifty cento to <a dollar. The French spokesman had said that they must consider all the circumstances. At a. secret conference four or five nations had literally divided the world. “I believe the late President Woodrow Wilson’s efforts- at Versailles were toward releasing the grips of these seizures, but he was unable to do so,” Mr. Borah asserted. The debate in the French Chamber indicated that the repudiation of the entire debt was being discussed. Replying to M. Marin’s statement that all the items of war or peace should be balanced, Mr. Borah declared that France had received £100,000,000 in the coalfields of the Saar and Alsace-Lorraine, which were rich beyond words, besides vast sums in reparations. ‘The United States does not desire to share these, but comparisons show that French taxpayers am favoured over Americans,’’‘ i.e said. The American debt to France during the American revolution was paid in full. France joined in the revolution for her own interests when it was known that- America would win. Senator Reed suggested that, in. balancing, too many omitted the greatest <min to France—her life as a nation. France had repeatedly .admitted that she faced destruction when the American Army was thrown into the scale.