It represents our willingness to make a contribution to the early restoration of world prosperity in which our own people have so deep an interest.

I am sure the American people have no desire to attempt to extract any sum beyond the capacity of any debtor to pay and it is our view that broad vision requires that our Government should recognize the situation as it exists.

I wish to take this occasion also to frankly state my views upon our relations to German reparations and the debts owed to us by the Allied Governments of Europe.

We are not involved in the discussion of strictly European problems, of which the payment of German reparations is one.

No, no payments due until the 15th of December.

But as the basis of the settlement of these debts was the capacity under normal conditions of the debtor to pay, we should be consistent with our own policies and principles if we take into account the abnormal situation now existing in…

The law will require action by Congress, but with this support I assume that Congress will act favorably.

Oh, no doubt.

Our Government has not been a party to, or exerted any voice in determination of reparation obligations.

It is not a political question or partisan in any sense.

This is naturally a national problem.