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1932 › Newton D. Baker (Democratic) › European war debts and reparations

Entry into the World Court and cancellation of the war debts (the record that made him 'politically unpopular')

pledge_forwarddirectional_stancereportedevidence B Diplomacy & International Institutions⚡ European war-debt crisis similar solutions · similar reasoning

Solution

American adherence to the League Court and cancellation of the European war debts, positions Baker had advocated publicly before 1932.

Rationale

Wilsonian internationalism: the debts and the Court are part of a stable peace.

Baker never formally campaigned; these are the positions the press and party attributed to him as the dark-horse alternative.

Statements (2)

1932-01-01 · Career summary (Wikipedia) · pre_announcementreported ✓ verified

For several years he was the leading proponent of American participation in the League of Nations .

Source: Newton D. Baker - Wikipedia (None)

1932-01-26 · Washington Times summary of Baker's prior advocacy · primaryreported ✓ verified

Virtually all thought of Baker as a candidate has been dropped in recent weeks because of his advocacy of America's entering the League of Nations, the League Court, cancellation of w'ar debts and similar issues politically un popular.

Source: The Washington times (Washington [D.C.]), January 27, 1932 (page 15) (1932-01-27)

Follow-through

not_applicable

World Court adherence failed in the Senate in January 1935; the debts were defaulted rather than cancelled.

Enacted by others

1934-04-13	Franklin D. Roosevelt	statute Johnson Act	source
1935-01-16	Franklin D. Roosevelt	message World Court message (defeated in Senate)	source

Other positions on this issue

A twenty-year moratorium on the war debts, writing them off in proportion to each nation's purchases of American goods — Alfred E. Smith, 1932 specific_pledge
No cancellation of the war debts — make payment possible by restoring trade — Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1932 specific_pledge
The 1931 German moratorium and standstill agreements stemmed European collapse and will be built upon — Herbert Hoover, 1932 specific_pledge
No cancellation of war debts; apply any annual payment to opening foreign markets for American farm products — Herbert Hoover, 1932 specific_pledge
Cancel the war debts (against cancellation of reparations) and raze the tariff wall — Norman Thomas, 1932 specific_pledge
Use every effort to collect the war debts due from foreign countries — Alf Landon, 1936 directional_stance

1932-baker-world-court-debt-cancellation · created by claude-fable-5-1 · review: unreviewed