The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-01-07
DES0LATE WASTE.
THROUGH EUROPE
British Official Reports Desper-
ate Conditions in Gen.
tral Europe
PEOPLE FACE A
GREAT FAMINE
Unless United States Comes to
the Rescue With Assistance
Recovery Impossible

Correspondence Of Associated Press
London. Dec. 19.--Sir William
Goode. British Director Of Relief,
who recently returned from 1our
OF the war-im impoverished countries OF
Europe, declares that unless the al
lied and Associated governments pro
vide credits for food and raw mate
rials, Central Europe is likely 10 DE-
come "a desolate waste OF seeding
thistles." England. he declares can
rot do anything likely to be effectuai
unless the United States eXtends
credits in proportion to her means.
The crisis in Central Europe, Sir
William declares. is Of such dimen-
sions and compIexity as TO defy 1so-
lated or individual effort.
Speaking before the American
Luncheon Club recently, he said:
You. cannot heal the wounds OF Eu-
rope by drib!ets OF government re-
lief or dabs Of humanity. The day
for palliatives is past. Emergencies
such as ti1at in Austria Will not wait
for the emerSence Of the League or
Nations. Little nations generated by
the elf-deternlination incubator OF
the Peace Conference are likely to
disappear even before they are old
enough TO SOW their wild oats.
"A comprehensive and far-rcachinG
financial arrangement must be quickly
arrive at by the Allied and Ascot
ated governments unless half of Cen
tral Europe is 20 be desolate vast"
Of seeding thistles. The key to me
economic arch is organization Of
credits for food ana raw materials
and the export Of manufactures on
regular and ascending scale from the
countries receiving such credit.
With the presen: value OF ;he
pound sterling and with the present
position cf french and Titan e'S-
change. it is cr:.:s", that NJ SGch
comprehensive credit sckcnle viii lie
,utiie unless he United Sta:cS takes
a generous part. Great 4;:;t;l!:l las
already borrowed, in IarrncTshlp
With France tad Italy, s4S,"0o,GO0
from the United States to feed Ans
tria. dare say we cpul;l borrow
moro and further discount Our own
CNCHaiHc Out l1ltIt NO@''N' - 49,
pallia we which in the long run would
Go neither Austria, ourselves. nor tnc
world any good.
"It is not a case of saying to th6
United States we will not do anything
more if you will not
The fact Of the matter is that we
cannot do anything which is in the
least likely to be effectual unless the
United States is also prepared to ex-
tend her credits in proportion to her
means 1t is no good being 'mcaly-
mouti1ed' about admitting that we,
who before the war were rich, are
now poor. Personally, am inclined
to think that the nations partlcipat-
ing in some such comprehensive
scheme of credits will in the long run
suffer no material disadvantage.
'of one thing l am quite certain
and that is that if Central Europe
and the new nations are allowed to
stew in their own juice. the whole
world will suffer. III many cases,
whatever remedy may be adopted. il
will involve on both continents
demand for common sacrifice and for
common stimulation Of production.
To use Mr. Hoover's blunt express
sion: Europe must work or starve.
II think 4 am authorized to say
that ii the United States can see their
way 10 take part in some such com
prcheasive provision of credits as !
have suggested the British govern
D,.;f; will .,
prepared. and I think rightly pre-
pared TO strain still further the re-
sources which have been SO impover-
ished by war.
If that opportunity is not taken
| am inclined to fear that the great
relief work done by AIR. Hoover, OF
which America is Justly proud, Will
go down to posterity as task only
half done. ! realize that there arc
many difficulties in the way such for
instance, as the unison Of unofIicia!
American financial effort with opera
tons that may be under the control
Of European governments. but l have
unwavering faith that these are no;
insuperable.
Describing the conditions prevail
ing in Central Europe as he observed
them in his recent journey. Sir Will
liam continued: Locomotives from
one country dared not bulge across
ty,e. frontier Of another. Coal trains
with their carsoes are liable to ht
seized the minute they come within
the grasp Of a neighborins army.
The only real safeguard for supply
train going from one country through:
another is the presence Of lone
Erit:sh Tor.nli,. Mho. percl?esl on the
c;4boos" and knowing no language
bu: his oyvn piacidly escorts tho few
exchanges, of food and r:iw materials
which have SO far enabled several of
h:. c:,;:::.,I'jcs 10 keep bod>' and $e1i
:oSctbcr.
..The aew allied States exhibit ::
nervous independence in dealing with
1h,.ij. former enemies with whom rn-
member they still ar" technically Il
war This constitutes one of the prin-
c;Dal obstacles 10 tho restoration o1
tn" equilibrium OF Central Europe