Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-08-31
AMERICAN
MOBILIZATION
Not for War. But to Bring
Home Our Non Militant Army
From Its European Prison.
RESCUE OF SUFFERING
FROM WORLD-WAR'S GRIP
We Must Have Ships-Never Again
Shall Foreign War Maroon Our
People Abroad or Our Ex-
ports at Home.
Editorial correspondence Of The star.
BY THEODORE w. MOVES.

august has bcen mobilization
month The greater part OF the
-u-callcd civilized world has been
mublllzin9: belligercntS in order
t" fight. ncutrals in order to pro
tect their neutrality
The United States has not
needed to mobilize for either of
these purposes MI belligercnt,
will wish the western continent
t. remain productive. that the
world may be fed. while Europe,
with its powers Of production in
the paralysis OF war, IS consuming
and destroying,
But a special obligation Of
mobilization along the lines OF
peace has rested and still rests
upon the United States. which IS
as imperative and as urgent as
that imposed by war. The army
Of Americans scattered over Eu-
rope-through wars paralyzing
grip unable to move. pennlless or
powerless to use their credit
money, often separated from
family, friends and baggage. cut
off from home communication, in
danger in many cases of starva-
ton or disease-demanded mobl-
lization. Its widely separated in
dividual units. rescued from finan-
cial distress, were to be CON
centrated at accessible seaports.
equipped to sustain life instead OF
to destroy it. and conveyed quick
lv and in health to home ports.
For the purpose of effecting this mo-
biization every ship which the nation
owns, controls or could secure through
modification of our navigation laws. by
purchase or by charter. was to be hur-
ried to European seaports where Amer
leans had been concentrated In order to
transport them to the United States with
the same urgent haste with which France
giers and England was sending its army
across the channel.
A Governmental Obligation.
This mobilization. compelled by sudden
war involving the whole eastern hemis
phere. was and is national, a govern
mental concern, to which as much intel
ligent energy and anxious thought should
i
France or neutral Switzerland devotes
to its military mobilization. This ma
tonal obligation has been wisely recog
niZed by our government and is being met
with vigor and success.
When on August - as one of 400 Amer
lean refugees | left Genoa on the Principe
di Cdine. the first ship chartered to con-
vey Americans from an Italian port. the
condition of the Americans marooned in
Switzerland and Italy was distressing
and prospects Of prompt relief by the
government SO far as the prisoners in
southern Europe were concerned seemed
not to exist
The American problem of mobilization
was three-fold % To restore value to
the forms Of money held by those who
still had funds and to get money to those
who had spent all they had. 90 By di-
rect intervention with European govern
ments to get rescued Americans to sea
ports, and go to provide the fleet to con-
vey the army of Americans thus con-
centrated safely and quickly to the
United States. The problem was thus
one: "a of investigation and immediate
relief. substituting orkable banking and
exchange machinery for that which had
broken down; q, of collection and con-
centration, and (3) of ocean transporta-
ton to American shores.
While the Udine was on the ocean be-
tween August II and August "a graft
fying headway was made by our govern
ment in the solution of all three branches
of the problem.
On August 18th in Switzerland and in
Italy only few banking institutions
were cashing letters of credit and trav-
elers' checks These paid only in limited
amounts and at a heavy discount to the
small number who fought their way to
the paying teller'S attention in the few
hours of each day when the bank was
open. At the closing hour a crowd of
disappointed applicants was barred out
as if a panic existed and a run was In
progress on the only bank which had not
yet put up its shutters. There were nc
longer any through trains or fast trains
or close-connecting trains leading from
Switzerland to seaports of adjacent
countries, the direct connection with
Italy being the last to be broken. Escape
through France or Germany was abso-
lutely barred. and 1t seemed as if Swift
zerland, as well as Italy, must be
drained slowly through Italian seaports
if at all. using neutral Italian ships
But our government had not at tina,
time authorized or encouraged the char
ter of any Italian ships for this purpose
and, so far as our inadequate informa-
| ton gave indication. it's thoughts seemed
to be concentrated on northern Europe
The italian government. which did no,
know at what moment it might be drag
ged into war. showed d strong disposition
to hold all it's ships at home for possible
use as hospital ships in neutrality OF
transports in bellgerency. Every imagi.
nable obstacle had to be overcome before
the Udine succeeded in getting away.
Intelligent, Effective Mobilization.
| But while the Udine was on the ocean
our government. through the Tennessee
and North Carolina, utilizing the
money wisely and promptly appro-
priated, made a good beginning In
tho work of financing our distressed