NOTE TO AMERICA

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 6 May 1927, Page 7

NOTE TO AMERICA

BRITISH WAR DEBTS.

APPROVED BY PRESS,

WILL CLEAR THE AIR

BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT Received 11.40 a.m. to-day. LONDON, May 5. The newspapers, which were taken by complete surprise by the Note to America, unanimously approve of its contents-. The Times” says: “The last thing desired was a controversy with the United States about the debt which we axe steadily discharging, but Mr Mellon’s mis-statements obtained wide currency, and cann-ot- be allowed to pass unchallenged. It- is particularly regrettable that the secretary of the United States Treasury should have appeared to sacrifice to the demands of -domestic politics the- scrupulous accuracy he might so easily have observed.” The “Daily Chronicle” says : " The Note does its utmost to save Mr Mellon’s face and- facilitate his. making amende honourable if -he desires.” The “Financial Times” declares: “The Note. -should clear the air -and prevent -a, recurrence of statements that create and foster harmful misunderstanding. ’ ’ The “Morning Post” says: “The country will: heartily approve of the Government’s action in -stating the facts to the world. British people cannot but feel it is hard that they should he onenly accused by a; member of the United ' Stptes Government of profiting by a settlement which lowers their whole standard of living.. Whether influenced by domestic exigencies or not, Mr Mellon published to- the world erroneous statements which, we trust, he wall -see fit to withdraw.” The “Daily Telegraph” regrets the necessity for the Note, but says': “The necessity was not of the British Government’s making. but it has been thrust upon them' by Mr Mellon |s extremely serious inaccuracy. . It is difficult to compute the. prejudice done thereby to Great Britain in Europe.”