The Colorado statesman., 1920-01-10

]
Paris to determine and direct the gen
ernl policy for the whole territory
Serbia alone eXcepted-to approve the
budgets assign the personnel and dis
tribute the supplies. Then the organ
! iZation is to have It's commissioners
and their stafIs in European countries
where there is permanent work yet TO
be done. In countries like Poland
| threatened with famine and pestl-
| lence. this work, which the organiza-
tion hoped to give up as early as last
July. is growing rapidly. In Czecho-
Slovukla the work of the organization
is practically completed, as 1t Is IN
Italy, with the exception of the nome
service for the families of the Italian
born soldiers, of whom there are more
than 10000.
The organization has withdrawn
from England and from Switzerland.
1t still has temporary missions scat
tered about, such as that for the Amer
lean troops in Archangel and the one
to care for Russian prisoners in Ger
many, and more recently, mt the re-
quest of the supreme economic coun-
ell sitting in Paris. it took Il trainload
of supplies into Vienna and Budapest.
Still Busy in Europe.
So long as the Paris office is main
tained the organization will send pre-
liminary inquiries here and there. One
such inquiry into southern Russia.
made not long ago, was followed by
three shipments of supplies and ap-
other representative of the organiZn-
tion has just returned from the
Ukraine. The American Red Cross IL
not operating directly in Armenia.
This means that it does not have any
personal representatives there, but it
is doing its share in relieving the con-
ditions in that section.
The American Red Cross is taking a
leading share in building up the or
ganiZation of the International League
of Red Cross Societies. which it be-
lieves will carry into all the world the
Red Cross spirit and the knack of
getting things done, despite all diff
cultieS. The organization is still in
close touch with an American relief
organization (Mr. HOover's organiza-
tion) and with all peoples and govern
ments everywhere. 1t still has in the
foreign service. including Siberia,
over 200 American men and women,
and its budget for this year comes to
about eighteen millions. 1t was
brought out at the annual meeting of
the organization here the other day
that with all activity the organization
is really only touching the surface of
the needs throughout the world.
Little Hope for "Wets."
The public man who believes that
the United States will ever take
backward step with respect to
prohibition of the manufacture and
sale of intoxicating beverages is
hard to find. The decision of the
Supreme court the other day, up
holding the wartime prohibition legis-
lation, has done much to confirm the
prevailing view that prohibition is here
to stay. Men who know the history of
their country point with some pride
TO the fact that the people of the Unit
ed States have never taken back
ward step on, any moral question. The
so-called liquor question is generally
regarded as moral question and for
this reason, If for no other, many pub
lie men say, the people may be count
ed on to hold all the ground that has
been gained.
The failure of the senate to ratify
the treaty of peace with Germany and
the decision of the Supreme court on
wartime prohibition have made it ex-
tremely doubtful whether the wartime
ban will be lifted even for limited
period of time. The amendment to the
federal constitution prohibiting the
manufacture and sale of intoXicants.
also the legislation recently enacted
by congress for the enforcement of the
constitutional amendment will become
effective January II. Even if the treaty
of peace with Germany should be ruti-
fled the first week in January, which
is extremely improbable, there would
still be a question as to whether the
president would have authority to de-
clare wartime prohibition null and
void, for the United States would still
be at war with Austria and Bulgaria,
technically speaking So it seems rea-
sonably certain that there is to be no
gap between wartime prohibition and
prohibition through constitutional
amendment.
Position of the President.
1t is evident that up until the day
the constitutional amendment shah be-
come effective the president of the
United States will be importuned to
lift the ban. His desk for weeks has
been piled high with petitions, asking
him to give the interests that hold
large stocks of liquors enough time