25 MAY 1929, Page 2

The French Debt to America ' The American Governinent has

invited France to say whether there is any-prospectrof the French Debt Funding Agreement being ratified. This Agreement was made in 1926; and provided for payments for 62 years ranging from t6,000,060 to .Z26,660,000.• France owes America £653,000,000, and the Agreement indulgently provided for the payment of only £225;000,000. Apparently if France would promise ratification the American Government would try to get the consent of Congress to an extension of the time in which the War Stocks. Debt of France has to be paid. America is evidently becoining impatient, though not unwilling to do a little coaxing. She cannot decide what to do in regard to Reparations until she knows whether France means to ratify the Funding Agreement or not.