Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1920-05-27
measure the danger and take precau.

need Of raw materials, has not lost his
habit of industry and thrift. The
most encouraging fact about France
today is that her people are alive to
the seriousness of Frahce's problem,
and they are going forward bravely to
solve that problem.
''ItaIy, despite her great shortage Of
raw materials, is looking forward and
not backward Italy can be relied
upon to do her part.
England is meeting the problems
of reconstruction just as those who
knew her past should have expected
her to meet them.
Plan to Aid Central Europe.
''It is not for me perhaps to give in
detail a formula for solution of the
worlds ills, but as | have been asked
many times, What would you do?' i
am glad to give my own answer.
accordingly, l would ask:
Il. That congress Immediately pass
a bill appropriating sum not to ex-
coed $5OO,OOO,0O0 for the use of CEN
trail and eastern Europe
''2. That congress call upon the
president to appoint a non-pOlitical
commission of three Americans, dis
tinguiShed for their character and ex
ecutive ability and commanding the
respect Of the American people. Such
commission should include men of
the type Of General Pershing Mr..
Hoover or ex-Secretary Lane. / would
invest that commission with complete
power.
"3 Would have the commission in
structed to proceed at once accompa-
MED by proper personnel to survey
conditions in central and eastern Eu-
rope and then act for the restoration
Of these countries under such cOndi
tiOnS and upon such terms as the
commission itself may decide to be
practicable and effective. Among the
conditions should be provided that
there should be no local interference
with the free and untrammeled eXer-
else by the commission of its own pre-
rogative of allOcating materials. Gov
DOlILINc SllOuIu NC
unreasonable and prejudiciaf barriers
between the various countries should
be removed and such substantial guar
antees as may be available should be
eXacted in order that the conditions
imposed should be fulfilled.
II. AS to financial terms, should
make them liberal. [ would charge
no interest for the first three years,
for the next three years 6 per cent
with provision that such interest might
be funded if the economic conditions
of the country were not approaching
normal, or if it's exchange conditions
were so adverse as to make payment
unduly burdensome. I should make
the maturity of the obligation Is years
from it's date and | should have no
doubt as to its final payment.
''5. Immediately the plan was adopt
ed 1 would have our government in
vite other governments in position
to assist to participate in the under
taking.
&C. To set forth completely my opin-
ion [ should add that in the final in
structions the American people
through their government should say
to the commission:
"'We want you to go and do this
job in such a manner, as after study,
you think it should be done. This is
no ordinary undertaking. The Ameri-
can people trust you to see that it is
done right"
Il would also say to the commission:
"'Use so much of this money as is
needed Personally / am confident
that with the assistance and co-Opera-
tion which would come from other
parts of the world the sum Of $780,
100000 from the United States would
be more than enough to start these
countries on their way to self-sup-
port and the restoration Of normal
conditions.
"The whole plan, of course, involves
serious of which is that of obtaining
the money, whether by issuing addi-
tional Liberty bonds, and increase in
the floating debt or by taxation. But
l think we could properly say to the
treasury department:
owe know how serious your finan-
cial problems are; we know the diff
culties which are Immediately con-
fronting you; we know the Importance
Of defation and we know that the
government must economic and that
individuals must economize; but we
also know that the American govern
ment advanced $4,000, 100000 to it's
allies to attain victory and peace. Ger
tainly it is worth making the addition
al advance in order to realize the
peace for which we have already strug-
gled, for nothing is more certain than
that until normal conditions are re-
stored in Europe there is no peace
"Above all things, l would say that
whatever action is taken should be
taken Immediately. The crisis is so
n onto that tha situation does not adj