Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-11-20
America Has Performed
Wonders in Europe
E. r. Peacock of Melbourne Australia writing to The Spec

Riga and surrounding areas still greater
| and more extensive relief work rs being
| done, while staff and stores were waiting
for the Bolsheyik barrier 90 fall ~ that they
might 90 right into Russia where disease
and want were known 20 exist, Early last
year, when typhus was raging in Poland, ths
then Prime Minister NJ Paderewski, WAS
greatly distressed aud did not kpow where
10 look for help The most likely to re-
spond to his appeal were the Americans,
So he went 20 President Wilson, with the
result that the lnrgest sanitary expedition
In the history Of the world comprising
10000 railway cars Of equipment and be
tween 500 and 600 men, were Immediately
dispatched Germany facilitating its trans
port right across Europe The cost Of this
outfit eionc was about 81 100000, aud
has been granted 30 Poland on five
wears credit without IN tefent II IN doubt
ful IL il will ever be paid for. and II IL Is
not, IL does not much matter fn the
meantime whole populations are being
disinfectc1 and cleaned up and saved
from destruction
Among other organ igations carrying on
extensive reconstruction and social work
are the American Friends Service Com
rnittee food, clothing, medical supplies
and honorary service-nnd the American
Young Mems Christian Association. The
latter has n very largo staff, comprising
some hundreds Of highly skilled social
service agents, aud is developing it's organ
ization entirely uf American expense, not
as n trading concern but as regular part
Of the army, organizations in Czecho-
Slovak in aud Poland teaching me n how %
develop ideal manhood The American
Young Women'a Christian Association
has a large contingent working among
women and girls helping IN the manifold
ways that only women know how 20 do
The tirey Samaritans is another body Of
Pollah-Anerfcau women. supported by
America, helping in the general work Of re-
lief amongwofnaa aud children American
university students mot a wealthy class
most II whom are working their way
through are contributing funds % enable
impoverished European students 10 con
tnIe their studies M the universities of
Switzerland and other countries.
All these, except the sanitary equip
ment. are America free generous contri-
buttons and efficient help in The tremendous
task Of reconstrIoting Europe IN ac~
cordanco with the spirit of President VIII
sons declarations OF course, she has tax
en- her part in the international Co2nmis-
sions, facilitating transport and arranging
barter contracts IN mutual advantage be
tween hostile peoples She has also car
ried the greater part Of the expense of the
League ri Red Cross Societies research
expedition IN Poland in connection with
typhus fever. and there is good ground for
believing that the work carried on in this
field Of scientific investigation has been
successful
This does not pretend 10 be a complete
account ~ Americas work IN Europe,
being simply that which has fone before
the observation Of single traveller II
not standing out Of the work, or abandon
ing the allies. but, on The contrary, is in IL
up 90 the neck saving lives, healing the
sick, clothing the naked feeding the
hungry, especially women and children,
bringing more than ray Of hope, CON-
fort and sunshine into sorely ravished
world, and winning the gratitude of mil
hons upon millions of unfortunate people
who have had no share or influence in
bringing about the disaster which has
come upon them. IL Ls not too much 70
say that Americans are doing more than
all other countries combined. and doing
il in way that must win the admiration
OF all who have had the opportunity Of
seeiug this true spirit Of America an how
she IL irving To cope with desperate con-
ditions Il Il possible TO imagine what
Europe would be like without this help?
And yet it barely touches the fringe Of the
sctual need.
z. r Peacock.
Melbourne. Australia.