Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1920-05-21

sailed for the other side just to meas
uret the danger and take Drecaution
against such an invasion.
This is one menace 1T our threshold.
The other. more threatening, more ter
ribic. is the menace Of the world $, III
will We can afford 10 die. but 10 be
despi>ed forever as Il greedy and phar-
iSaical nation is a fate that we must
not incur
The French government has many
serious problems 10 solve, but the
Trench peasant is working and tue
French artisan, while still sadly III
need Of raw materials, has not lost nus
habit of industry and thrift. The most
encouraging fact ainut France i"dl!
is That her; people are alive 10 The Sc
robustness Of Frances problem ana
they are going forward bravery 10
solve that problem.
Italy, despite her @reat shortage OF
raw material. is looking forward ana
not backward Italy can he relied
upon TO do her part!
England is meeting The problems or
reconstruction just rs those who knew
her past should have expected her to
meet them.
Plan to Aid Central Europe.
1t is not for me. perhaps to give IN
detail = formula for solution Of the
worlds ills. bur az | have been asked
many times, "W'hat would you do?' /
am glad TO give my own answer.
Accordingly, l would ask:
/. That Congress Immediately pass
81 bill approprHling Il sum NOT To rN-
cced $5OO. 0p0,000 for The use Of Cen
tral and Eastern Europe.
-. That Congress call upon the Pres
idcnt to appoint 4 nnMpnlitical COM
mission of three Americans, dislin-
gniShed for their character and exec
uiive ability and commanding the re-
spcct of The American people. Such
Il commission sIoilld include men of
the type of General PcrShins, Mr..
Hoover or ex-Secrctary Lane. would
invest that commission with complete.
power.
3. | would have the commission in
Siructrd TO proceed at once, accompa.
uicd by proper personnel, 10 survey
conditions in. Central and Eastern Eu-
rope and then act for the restoration
OF those countries under such cmIdi-
lions and upon such terms az The COM
mission itself may decide 10 he practi
cable ana effective. Among the con-
diiions should be provided that there
should be no local interference with
The free ana uniramlnclcd exercise by
The commission Of lis own rrcrn"ative
OF allocaiim- materials. Governmental
politics should be eliminated: unrca
SonnhIc and prciulicial barriers be-
tween the various countries should be
removed. and such substantial "1laran-
fees as may be available should lie OK
acted i'll order tlIal the conditions i'm
posed should be fulfilled.
t. As To- financial terms, I should
make them liboral. ] would charge no
interest for ;he first three years: for
The next three years, pcr cent. wifi.
fIntlci. II Ills economic conditions Of
the cauniTy-Wcre not approaching FOR
NAL. or ii lis exchange conditions wel'c
81 adverse as to make payment I'M
duly hur,lrnSumc. | should make the
maturity Of the obligation II years
from lis date, and 7 should have no
doubt aS 10 lis final payment.
s. Immediately Tie plan was adopt
cd l would have our government in
wife other governments III Il position
10 assist, 10 participate in the under
taking.
6 10 set forth completely my opin-
ion. should add That in the final in
structionS lie American people.
through their government, should say
To the commits ION:
1--WE want You 10 90 and do This job
ii sncll Il inannrr as. after study, You
think il should be done This is no
ordinary undertaking. The American
people trust YOU To see that it is done
right"
would also say 10 the commission:
us" 80 much of this money us is
needed" Personally. | am confident
That with the assistance and cp-opeln-
ton which would come from other
paris III the world the sum OF 5000
03O.ODI from The United States would
bc more than enough 10 start these
countries on their way 10 self support
and the restoration Of normal condl-
lions.
The whole plan, Of course. involves
many practical considerations. the
most serious of Which is that Of oh
tanning INC money. whether by issuing
additional Liberty bonds, an increase
in the noaiin" dcht or by taxation.
Eut ! think We could properly say 10
the treasury department.:
We know how serious your ilnan-
cial problems are; wc know the dlhi-
cultinS which are Immediately con-
fronting YOU: we know The Importance
Of dciiarion. and we know that I ie GOV
rrnmrEl must ccoanmiZc and That in
hividuaI> must ccorunljZc. but we also
know lhat Tho American government
advanced $4,000 900 10. lis allies