The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1919-01-25
SPENDING MONEY IN EUROPE

Congress is entitled to know how tn
SlOO,OOO,000 asked by Pre- ident Wilson
for famine relief in Europe is to be spen
,|As an earnest advocate of open diploma
cy the President should lead the way to
common understanding in the United
State. He cannot do this under the Gov
er Of military necessity for the American
public has already determined that this
particular phrase covers a multitude OF
sins. 1t has been converted to PERSONAL
and political ends, thereby inviting in
quiry in all proposals where explanations
are lacking.
Perhaps no man in history has enjoyed
greater individual power as a result of
loyalty than President Wilson. In war
was to ask and to receive, The Ameri-
can public buried its prejudices, its
beliefs at a word from him. The tendency
was not theresult Of Wilsonian faith but
of devotion to home and country. Like
the small boy who must not ask questions
the American public accepted the judg-
ment Of the one man who should have
. been closest to facts. They did not COM
plain that the facts were kept from
them,
No doubt this is the reason why mill
tary necessity overstepped the bounds of
property 1t became the camouflage of
political emergencies. Stilkthe Ameri-
can public did not complain, contended to
give its answer and pursue the even ten
or of its way. The war is over, but mill
tary necessity still remains to bridge the
gap Of missing explanations. AS the I'm
ited States undertakes relief work in
Europe there can be no good reason why
Congress and the public should not be
fully advised as to what is proposed. The
time has come for the President to dis
play his confidence in the forces back of
him.
We are told that we can stop the spread
Of Bolshevism only by providing food for
the hungry of Europe, indicating that
Bolshevism is the paramount issue of the
day. Despite this fact we find the peace
conference sidetracking the Russian is
sue and with it the blood and life of Boil
shevism. We know of no honest Ameri-
can who would stand aside while his
neighbor starved; he is too susceptible to
the better influences of life. On the 9TH
rer hand, we libe to believe that this spirit
is trait of the American people and not
the result Of a legislative demand.
The major portion Of our relief work
in war was carried on by the American
people through voluntary subscriptions.
The government could easily have enact
ed legislation to support this work by
fund raised by taxation. 1t is now pro
posed to do for Europe what we did not
for our wn. Our people are better for
the service rendered and the dollars Civ
en- in relief work. Properly approached
they would follow these same ideals in
carrying relief to the stricken peoples of
Europe. The work proposed is not
governmental duty, but charitable act
proposed by humanitarian people.
There is a grave doubt concerning the
advisability Of the proposed appropria-
ton notwithstanding the fact that there
is no doubt concerning the need of it and
the desire of the American people to car
ny relief to the oppressed. AS result,
Congress does not ask too much when it
seeks full explanation concerning the
program proposed.-Salt Lake Herald.
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