PRIEST'S TRIP ABROAD

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17957, 8 December 1932, Page 9

PRIEST'S TRIP ABROAD

AMERICA AND WAR DEBTS The present dispute between Ireland and Great Britain is deplored by the Rev. Father H. F. Holbrook, of Auckland. who has returned after revisiting Ireland to attend the Eucharistic Congress, held in Dublin during June. “The congress was a stupendous success,” Father Holbrook said. “For a space Ireland became a vast cathedral, vibrant with the prayers of millions.” A trip through the United States left Father Holbrook with the impression that the unemployment position would constitute a solid argument against cancellation or revision of .war debts. In spite of all the boarding of gold, unemployed in the United States numbered about 12,000,000. One of tbe highest authorities in the United .States. Dr. John A. Ryan, of the Catholic University, has written in favor of debt cancellation. He said the debt payment arrangements were unreal; the debts could not be paid; America did not really want them paid ; tbe economic sacrifice involved in cancellation was negligible ; and great advantages were to be derived from cancellation. However, Dr. Ryan held that cancellation should bo subject to two conditions-*-the wiping out of German reparations and an international agreement on a policy of disarmament and the outlawry of war.