§ 56. Sir W. DAVISONasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the outstanding amount of internal War Debt in the case of Great Britain, Germany, France, and the United States of America, respectively, in the event of the cancellation of all international War 1476 Debts and Reparations payments as proposed; and what will this amount to per head of the population in each of the countries referred to?
§ Major ELLIOTI regret that it is not practicable to make the comparison asked for by my hon. Friend, as it is impossible to distinguish internal War Debt from other internal debt.
§ Sir W. DAVISONIs it not a fact that if there is a universal cancellation of War Debts it will mean that the citizens of this country will be left with a debt twenty times more than the citizens of Germany per head of the population?
§ Major ELLIOTI do not think that that subject arises out of the question.
§ Sir W. DAVISONSurely the Treasury must Lave satisfied themselves, in a matter of this kind, before agreeing to cancellation?
§ Mr. MAXTONMay I ask the Financial Secretary whether it is not possible for Great Britain to rid itself of internal debt just as Germany was able to do?