The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-08-13
The CAUSE AND The REMEDY.

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should conne its recuperatve measures solely to this
country 1t is conceded by everybody that the human
disturbance is worldwide and that the remedy for high
cost of living and other ills should be worldwide in
application Each country do much within its own
boundaries but no country lives to itself alone.
The depreciation of money the taproot of the eco
nomic disturbance and this aproOt has been grown in
the tropical soil of debt and watered with extravaganza
1t cultivated by millions Of hands that should be
at work producing food and other neccssaries The
lions have burned up billions Of real wealth and sub
sttued for it paper money. Then they have squandered
this paper money all kinds of unnecessary enterprises
They have taught their manhood to quit work and live
in great camps and fleets without thought of providing
their own food and with the spice of deadly adventure
to overstmuate their minds The nations began living
on their accumulated wealth. then their visible assets
and then on their intangible credit and they are
osclatng between bankruptcy and another draft upon
the United States Not Of the nations lately at war;
except Japan, producing normally. although all OF
them including Japan dire need of food fuel and
clothing.
The American dollar ha snot escaped the universal
depreciation How could it, when the United States has
spent $50 900 900 900 in spree, of which 100000
900 represents represents money lent to fellow ma
tons on the spree? They all honorable nation
every of them intends to its loans to the last
pound franc, Ira, rouble peso drachma leu OF dinar
as the case may be- But these pounds francs, &C., are
worth very little just in American dollars notwith-
standing the dollar may be depressed and diluted.
Worse than this however the iron demand for food
and fuel and clothing, which nature imposes upon the
European nations The debts, even if wiped out would
affect the present situation The United States has
surplus of fe necessities and must consider the best
method of sharing them with stricken Europe. Ar
cans know that Belgans in American uniforms and fed
with American food strutting about idly in Brus-
sells while American soldiers at work repairing Bel
gian roads, they know that reconstruction in northern
France is held back for various reasons they know that
British labor has nearly lost all common sense and that
Russia a maniac Nevertheless, Americans know that
Europes millions are still sane, still industrious and still
devoted to peace and liberty. Therefore Americans will
stand by them and will supply them the necessares of fe
in some way or other while all nations working out
Il plan of financial recovery.
The best constructive ability of the giants of Ameri-
finance and industry is called for 1t is not
political diplomatic remedy that is needed The i'll
ness is economic and not political This statement is
proved ythe fact that victor and vanquished all
affected alike The victorious French franc in the same
boat with the vanquhed German mark Get them through
safely and Europe saved Save the franc and you help
the mark incidentally, no matter how ardenty and Justly
you hate the Hun.
If any combination of American constructive genius
be formed, let it be done with speed Let the
countrys most resourceful and most responsible egsa
tors fnanciers and industrial and agricultural leaders get
together in devising and executing plan for putting
credit benin devery unit of money in the allied nations
and for tapping the dropsica dollar. The cost of living
high when counted in abnomaly cheap dollars. 1t will
not seem so high when there is greater buying power
in the dollar and less selling power in food.
President Wilson spoke volume when he suggested
that the United States should produce as much and as
fast possible The world needs every bushe of wheat
and every pig it can produce Hence any abe-bodied
man in this country not actually temporarily
upset by shell shock is clog the world unless he or
she is busy at productive work. Never mind the kind
of work. long is useful and contributOry to the
worlds recovery Don't stop work to criticize the Bel
gian or Frenchman who is temporarily off his head and
idle He will get busy, and is getting busy spendidy, all
things considered. Don't stop work to worry the
stupendous task of planning and building suspension
bridge of credit the Atlantic which will sustain
the weight of the world No single brain will accomplish
that task but all hands by keeping busy will contribute
to its accomplishment.
As the hardpressed millions of Europe more and
rapidly to production, and Americans quit talking and
striking and go to productive work, the old world will
turn from gloom sunshine again. and hard work will