The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1920-05-27

salleQ Ior tne Otner slQe just 10 m6a6-
.ure the danger and take precaution
against such an invasion.
This Is one menace at our threshold.
The other, more threatening, more ter.
rible, is the menace Of the worlds Ill
will. We can afford to die, but to be
despised forever as greedy and phar-
isaical nation is a fate that we must
not incur
The French government has many
serious problems to solve, but the
French peasant is working and the
French artisan, while still sadly in
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 Sc
riousness of Frances problem, and
they are going forward bravely to
solve that problem.
Italy, despite her great shortage (of
raw material, 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.
1t is not for me perhaps to give In
detail a formula for solution Of the
worlds Ills, bat as I have been asked
many times what would you doT
am glad to give my own answer.
Accordingly, would ask:
/. That Congress Immediately pass
bill appropriating sum net to ex-
ceed $500, ,000, 900 for the use Of Cen
trail and Eastern Europe.
2. That Congress call upon the Pres
ident to appoint a nonpolitical COM
mission Of three Americans, distin-
yuished for their character and exec
utive ability and commanding the re
spect Of the American people. Such
q commission should include men Of
the type Of General Pershiag. Mr..
Hoover or ex-Secretary Lane. Iwould
invest that commission with complete
power.
8. I would have the commission In
structed to proceed at once, aceenpa-
MED by proper personnel, to survey
! conditions in Central and Eastern d.
rope and then act for the restoration
| Of those countries under such condi-
tons and upon such terms as the COM
mission itself may decide to Be practi-
cable and effective. Among the con-
ditions should be provided that there
should be no local interference with
the free and untrammeled exercise by
the commission Of its own prerogative
Of allocating materials. Governmental
politics should be eliminated; unrea-
sonable and prejudicial barriers be-
tween the various countries should be
removed, and such substantial guaran-
tees as may be available should be eI-
acted in. order that the conditions i'm
posed should be fulfilled.
4. AS to financial terms, I should
make them liberal. | would charge no
interest for the first three years; for
the next three years. per cent, with
! provision that such interest might be
funded If the economic conditions Of
the country were not approaching nor
NAL, or if its exchange conditions were
so adverse as to make payment un-
duly burdensOme should make the
maturity Of the obligation Is years
from its date, and I should have no
doubt as to its final payment.
5. Immediately the plan was adopt
ed / would have our government in
vite other governments in position
to assist, to participate in the under
taking.
g. To set forth completely my opin-
ion, should add that Ia the final in
structions the American people,
through their government, should say
to the commission:
"We want you to 60 and do this job
in such manner as, after study, you
think II should be done. This Is no
ordinary undertaking. The American
people trust you to see that It is done
right"
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-
ton which would come from other
parts of the world the sum Of $780,.
600 1000 from the United States would
be more than enough to start these
countries on their way to self support
and the restoration Of normal condi-
tions
The whole plan, Of course, involves
many practical considerations, the
most serious Of which is that of OBJ
tanning the money, whether by issuing
additional Liberty bonds, an increase
In the floating debt or by taxation.
But l think we could properly say to
the treasury department:
1--WE know how serious your finan-
cial problems are we know the diff
culties which are Immediately con-
fronting you; we know the importance
Of defistion, and We know that the gov
ernment must economize and that in