The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-22

but snort way IN tnat investigation
before | perceived that there was
something far more fundamental and
important to investigate than finances.
Perhaps nothing worse than national
bankruptcy. with its attendant results.
can happen to a people. believe, how
ever, that something more far-reaching
and more disastrous than mere bank
ruptcy has happened TO number OF
European nations.
The most profoundly significant thing
that / sensed In Europe Is the disor-
Ranization and paralysis OF Industrial
production. The paralysis is not con-
lined to the war zone. II extends TO
the Industries OF the neutral countries.
SO long as 1t continues, there Is danger
OF revolutionary development and OF
bolshevik tendencies. Wherever I'M
rest develops into bolshevism, that new
name for an old disease. anarchy. there
is danger OF contagion, and the disease
is liable TO spread to adjacent territory.
Danger OF Revolt Mlcrobe.
This makes II necessary TO regard
Europe as a unit IN any forecast OF
future conditions, for no government
is strong enough fortified against the
inroads OF this microbe OF social con-
tagion TO permit its future to be re.
gurded safe when its neighbors develop
this type OF revolution.
IL is not my purpose to write any
description OF the war front or any de-
tailed account OF what has happened
in industry In the devastated districts.
| motored as the guest OF the Ameri-
can, French and Belgian governments,
throughout the whole battle front from
the German border to Zeebrugge. IL
Is idle TO attempt to picture that trip
to any one who has not seen what the
desoation OF war really means. There
IA a scar across France and Belgium
x.tHfn ef a ia CnmnlAtR
villages that are just dust heaps.
cities in which not a building remains,
acres OF land permanently despoiled so
far as agricultural use is concerned.
Wanton Destruction.
saw broad orchards every tree IN
which had been sawed Off close to the
ground, ana they stili lay there as they
first fell in pititul rows, although no
military engagement had taken place
In the vicinity to give semblance OF
a military reason for the act. saw
great factories in the occupied district
OF Belgium that had been operating
on German supplies up to few days
before the armistice and which were
outside the range OF active military
operatIons, which were systematically
and completely destroyed. chimneys
toppled over, bombs placed in every
boiler and machinery wholly wrecked
II were writing book on the war,
would devote chapter TO telling ABOUT
the systematic destruction of industry
for solely commercial purposes; now
factories were selected that were COM
petitive to German industry and ruth
lessly destroyed, while others which
were standing near by and which were
noncompetitive were left unframed.
In a sense, Germany has won one or
her objects. She has destroyed the In
dustry OF northern France and much
OF the industry OF Belgium, so that no
matter how great or in what form in
demnity is secured, these industries
cannot be replaced before similar Ger
man industries, and the industries OF
other countries. may have absorbed
their markets.
In picturing the devastating effect OF
war on European industry, however,
one must not confine the view to the
Hindenburg line. There were great
industries in Poland completely de-
stroyed. In East Poland there is a
tract OF land 200 miles broad and 400
miles long where the Russian armies
decided so to devastate the country
that the German armies could not lol-
low them. There the houses were OF
wood, and all were burned. The Rus
sian army endeavored to evacuate the
country of the whole population, ana
the population started toward RUSSIA
in advance of the retreating Russian
army. The retreating Russian army
travelled faster than the refugees and
marched through them. Then the pur-
suing German army pressed on and
marched over these people. They were
left without food. clothing. or shelter
-Four hundred thousand starved.
Today that great territory. the size
of Kansas, is barren and without means
of sustaining life. The industry OF
Warsaw was systematically sacked, as
was that of most cities on the eastern
front.
5oIshevIsm Ends Job.
AS one moves further south the SIT
uation becomes a little better. Few
cities in Europe have had to endure a
more terrible fate OF starvation than
done what militarism failed TO 90:
In Rumania, a purely agricultural
country, there was left almost no cattle
or farm machinery. Both In Poland
and in Rumania not over one-third
OF the fields will be planted this year.
Rumania Is one of the great sources
of grain exports to other countries in
Europe. Her expectation prior to the
war was 100,000,o00 bushels, including
wheat, barley, rye, oats, corn and mil
| let,
The premier OF Rumania told me
| that under the best of crop conditions
Rumania would be able to raise this
| year only a sufficient amount OF food
| for her own population. Serbia was ut
| terly despoiled. There Is choice irony
| in her railroad statistics. After the
armistice there were nine locomotives
| in Serbia.
i This horrible story OF destruction
4 speak of only to minimize its extent
4 by comparison. Vast as has been the
4 field of destruction. these devastated
II areas are but scars on the face Of
t. I,n In IN or n
Il tricate, complicated industrial machine
4 of Europe was stimulated and expand
ed by this war which was so truly {
Il war OF industries.
VI II 1t were possible to show the exac'
n percentage of the industrial life o.
N Europe which has been sacrificed VIII
N shell, bomb and incendiary torch. II
N would be seen that the destruction, vas
NJ as II Is, bears no overwhelming relatier
NJ to the whole.
N All Europe Paralyzed
III Why, therefore, should not these in
n be set going at a speed they never
n knew befroe in order to meet the In
Il sistent demands that the illimitahlt
needs of Europe may be expected tC
create? The fact is that in the face
of these ilimtable needs the industry
of all Europe stands paralyzed. What
is 1t that has laid its hand on indus
try and at the moment when industry
| products are needed as they were nevel
| needed before in the world. has put on
the fires, turned off the power and lief
| industry idle?
The answer cannot be made in a SEN
tence There is a tragic combination
of difficulties that has brought thu!
about. I will try to enunciate few
OF these and let any American manu-
facturer try TO imagine his plant faced
with such a series of difficulties ant
| & l.. - ~ sN,F
them too great to quickly surmount
Let us PISS hV the case of these in.