OCR Text |
Show Uncle Sam to Debtors: Time to Pay Up WASHINGTON. Nine of the foreign governments which borrowed from tbs United States during the World war and subsequent to the armistice fcave received more or less pointed suggestions from this government that the time seems to have arrived when concrete negotiations looking to debt adjustment are In order. Great Britain, Hungary. Finland. Lithuania and Poland have completed funding arrangements with the debt commission, a body created by act of congress. The nine nations which in effect are now being called upon to follow the example of these five nations na-tions are France, Italy, Belgium, Greece, Rumania, Csechoslovakla, the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Blovenes, otherwise Yugoslavia; Es-thonla Es-thonla and Latvia. Ruasla, Armenia and Liberia, the ther wartime debtor nations, do not figure In the present effort to produce an adjustment of Indebtedness. In confirming the fact that steps bad been taken toward debt settlements, settle-ments, administration officials were careful to point out that there bas been no move having the color or suggestion sug-gestion of a peremptory demand. According to officials, the State department de-partment Is conducting exchanges on the subject through Its ambassadors and ministers In the capitals of the na- L . ..." ' '' ' tlons affected and the function of our diplomatic representatives Is merely to carry out the wishes of the debt 'm-mlssion. 'm-mlssion. While one statement made in aa authoritative quarter was Interpreted as meaning that this government had sent a circular note to the nine debtor nations, expressing Its conclusion that the time had arrived for definite funding operations, the fact appears to be that the procedure has not taken on such a form, suggestive of a d mand, but has been definite enough, in the representations made by our diplomatic dip-lomatic officers, to show that this gov ernment believes that a more concrete basis for discussing war time and postwar debts should be reached. In what has been said by our ambassadors am-bassadors and ministers under their Instructions there is no suggestion tha the government desire lo force payment pay-ment Every consideration Is being shown for the financial and economic distress of the debtor countries affected, affect-ed, and the debtor nations have been so given to understand In an Informs' way. At the same time It Is clear that, however Informally the government Is proceeding, It la seeking to Impress upon the allied debtors that It expects some exchanges with reference to debt adjustment to take a definite turn. |