I don’t think Todd can be accused of double standards, as it is quite evident that he has just forgotten the fact that he owes a dollar to his friend. Actually, the matter took place so naturally and maybe at a moment of hurry that it is quite natural to forget it. So, his forgetfulness is quite unintentional.

However, one can argue that the moment he was talking about Poland not paying her debt, he should have recalled that he also borrowed a dollar, or at least should have thought of the fact that he might as well owe to someone else.

But that is the peculiar human nature that Stephen Leacock wants to present through his story quite satirically. And as the narrator also realised later, we all are like that. We tend to forget when we owe but remember it vividly when someone else owes to us.