South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-08-05
READY To SERVE.
WHEN WAR ENDS
Inter Parliamentary Union to
Aid Nations Along Lines of
Constructive Fellowship.

The Hal MI II r fNLA NDSt
Aug. 1.-The inter parliamentary
union is making no attempt during
the war TO bring together the diff
ferent belligerent groups associated
with that union, but is encouraging
each Of them TO undergo parallel &C
ton in their respective countries in
favor OF the international aims so
often set forth by Pres't Wilson"
declared DR.. Christian L. LANCE.
general secretary of the union, IN an
interview with the correspondent of
the Associated Press.
DR. LANCE, who is a Norwegian
and has his headquarters at Christ
iania has just made the third round
Of the different European groups
that he has undertaken since the be-
ginning of war and, after confer
ences at Petrograd, Berlin, Vienna
and Berne. has conferred with the
Netherlands group of the inter-par-
liamentary union at the Hague.
You may imagine the difficulties
connected with the maintenance of
the union and its work in these
times" he remarked, when I men
ton that the executive committee is
composed of an Englishman, a Bel
gian, a Dutchman, an Austrian and
a German. The close participation of
members Of the various groups in
the political life of their respective
countries puts an attempt at any
plenary gatherings or direct cooper
alton out OF the question, albeit the
three scandinavian groups continue
TO meet periodically.
American Group Active.
Our main concern for the pres
ent is the maintenance Of the union
intact, so that when peace comes we
may be ready TO at once reestablish
contact and cooperate in the recon
struction of international life and
the development OF international or
ganization. Our American group is
strong and energetic, and is carrying
on good work under the leadership
Of James L. Slayden, a member Of
congress from Texas
dln AFRAID we are dl lbdSl III
for another winter campaign" said
DR.. LANCE. in response to a question
regarding his view of the outlook
and the impressions cleaned from
his conferences in the various belli-
gerent countries. Each side at
present thinks greater advantages
may be obtained by continued mil
itary action than by the immediate
conclusion Of peace. 1t is a curious
fact that in one respect the position
has been exactly reversed. In the
beginning of the war Germany
based all her hopes on a decision on
land. while Great Britain looked
mainly 10 her naval power. Now it
is Britain and the allies who rely on
their land forces, while people in the
central states firmly believe that
they can force a decision at sea by
means of the U-boat"
The position of his own country,
Norway. Or. LANCE described as ex-
ceedingly difficult. Despite it's non
com blatant position" he said, food
has risen 6S percent in price, which
exactly corresponds with the in
crease in the cost of living in Ger
The reason for this is that we are so
largely dependent on foreign sup
plies; a third of NOrway's food has
to be imported. Her shipping loss
es have been exceedingly heavy, and
her fleet shows a great shrinkage as
compared with its dimensions at the
outbreak Of war. Shipowners' loss
es are made good financially, but, so
far as the country and its economic
life are concerned, the money can
not make up for the sunken ships
and the lost trade which they repre- |
sent.
New Moneyed Class.
Whereas before the war wealth
was pretty evenly distributed there, /
the war has created a new moneyed |
class, but over against this com
paratively small group OF rich peo-
pie there is the great mass Of the
nation weighed down by the bur
dens the war has imposed. Norway .
has come off better than most, if not
all other European neutrals in the
matter Of mobilization expenses, for /
her geographical position secures to /