DEBTS OF WAR

Hokitika Guardian, 15 June 1933, Page 5

DEBTS OF WAR

' CABINET SITTING EXCiTEMENT IN COMMONS. i United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyr igh t J LONDON, June 1L T’lo Commons was packed, everyone awaiting Wlr Chamberlain’s deliverance, announced for 5.30 in the afternoon. The entire . Cabinet with M r MacDonald atal Mr Chamberlain, were ■on the front bench until 5.45, when j Messrs Baldwin, Runciman, and Thomas were suddenly called behind, the Speaker’s chair. The atmosphere became electric as it was (realised a hitch had occurred. It is believed that Mr Roosevelt suddenly changed h:s mild. He desired to avoid the necessity of immediately facing Congress, therefore wished to postpone his statement to Aug’’,st 15. ’The ful] Qabinet met hurriedly. The Ministers were in a qu'ndary, more especially since Mr -Roosevelt’s original decision had caused such relief. The news wa 5 now common property, and it was impossible to withhold the statement of such magnitude, which was no longer a Cabinet secret. The Minister .sat a Jew minutes, whereafter the Atlantic telephone cables wero again buzzing to urge the desirability of an immediate statement. It was then announced that .Mr Chamberlain would speak at ton o'clock tonight, Afr Chamberlain appeared at 10.10 and further startled the House bv announcing th:.t details were not disposable,

The Sun Service learned that Cabinet’s decision to postpone the statement until June 14 was due to iMr desire immediately to follow his announcement in America with a personal broadcast throughout the Continent, thus appealing to the populace over the heads of Congress. It is understood that he will reiterate as in his despatch to Britain consistent support for a practical! debt settlement. He will ■propose' a-s part of an AngloAmerican understanding immediate negotiations, nossibly in London, in order to secure a fi’ d equitable discharge.

EXCHANGE OF AXGLO-U.K.A. VIEWS. AMBASSADOR PRESENTS NOTE. RUGBY, June 13. Mr Chamberlain wa s unable to make in the Commons, to-night, the full statement he had hoped to make .regarding the war debt instalment.

! At 10.10 the' Chancellor, said he was even then unable to make any complete "statement oin the June instalment. He said, however, there had been a (lengthy exchange of vdew,s between tbe British and the United State,? Governments. “The British Ambassador at Washington has to-day handed to the State Department a Note setting forth the British proposals. We expect to receive the President’s reply to-morrow. We have no reason to suppose it will bo other than .satisfactory to uo, but as it ,h'a.s not yet reached us I am 11 ot in a position to state-' its terms.” ,Mr Chamber lain said he understood arrangements had been made by which it would be possible for 'the debate to be adjourned till fen o’clock tomorrow night, and he hoped he would then be able to make a complete statement on all the documents exchanged between the British and the United States Governments,

BRITAIN’S OFFER ,QF TOKEN, WASHINGTON, June lb. President Roosevelt will reply on Wednesday to the British offer of a partial payment of the war debts. With the message he is expected to spring a surprise among the company of nations. . There is a basis for conviction here that the injection of war debt. 4 into the Economic parley has brought about a situation which called for the American answer indicated in high quarters. The surprise will be- contained in cither the message in reply to the debts, or in an accompanying document.

It is the intention of Mr Roosevelt to receive Britain’s proffered payment, pending accomplishments by the conference on the stabilisation of currencies and the lowering of jibe world tariff walls.

BRITAIN’S TOKEN PAYMENT. (Received June 15 at 11 a.m.) WASHINGTON, June 14. Air Roosevelt announced to-day the 10,000',C00 dollars payment by Britain as “bn acknowledgment of debt pending the final settlement.” Britain had asked for a review of the debt agreement, and he suggested that she, send to Washington to discuss this ,g.s soon as convenient.