The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1920-02-20
Shall Chaos or Reconstruction
In Europe Follow the Great
World War;
IMPERATIVE NEED FOR ACTION
Twelve Months Since the Signing OF
the Arrnlstice Practically Wasted
Call for aid From America
Must be Needed.
Article v.
By FRANK coMERFoRp.

treaty brought peace. but neither Of
these acts restored devastated Europe.
The great job ahead IL the work of re-
word reconstruction" have not In
mind the mere rebuilding OF the war
stricken areas OF france, Belgium,
Italy. Poland and Russia. Gigantic
and important as this task Ii, neces-
sary as Il Is, Il Is only small part OF
the work Of real reconstruction. Hun
dreds Of thousands OF square miles
make up the actual war zone, the
ground marched over, the territory I'M.
der shell fire Millions Of acres OF land
that once yielded food IN response to
the touch Of the plow have for the
past four years been titled by high ex-
piosives.
Belgium was literally looted, pill
LACED and ravished Almost the en-
tire state was violated. Nearly one
eighth Of France, her Industrial sec
ton. was crushed. Buildings were de-
stroyed. factories dismantled. Sixty
thousand square miles In Poland were
laid waste Italy suffered terribly.
The ground Is filled with high explo-
slves, nndischarged mines and shells.
Every day since the work Of recovery
and restoration began men working
In this zone have been blown to pieces,
Billions OF feet OF barbed wire and
millions OF tons of metal make dan.
gerous wilderness out of what was
once highly productive area.
Cities and villages are jungles OF
twisted. broken, torn wood. iron. brick
and stone have walked through
these villages and have stood stunned
by the completeness OF the destruc-
ton. The streets are uneven and
lumpy with brick and stone and plas-
ter and glass, aisles OF wreckaga. Roof
less houses with walls Quilted and torn,
heaps and piles Of broken building ma
terial Jagged, ragged pinnacles, masses
Of debris meet the eye. Had mot known
Of the war and come upon one of these
unsightly, shapeless masses OF materl-
Al. l should have thought nature had
entered into mad conspiracy, com
hlnlng and concentrating all Of the
powers Of cyclone. tornado End
an earthquake. and spilled their fury
on these mapgled. dead villages.
Sights to Wiring the Heart.
Picture the refugees returning to
these yillages-eoming back home.
What the sight must have meant to
them. ] have seen Them their faces
gray as the gray ruins, standing in the
midst Of their destroyed homes. !
have seen them picking their way over
piles Of stone and brick through great
openings made III the broken walls. !
saw In their eyes inconsistencies, a hurt
of heart | never shall forget. Old men
and old women and little bare-legged
children; now and again a boy with
q worn. soiled uniform, some limpIng
on crutches others wearing an empty
sleeve. One thought surged through
my mind until It almost sickened me
War. The land OF the war zone
must be reclaimed. These acres are
needed now more than they were be.
fore the war. The worlds food sup
ply Is low. Hundreds OF miles OF
trenches must be filled up. Trees
must be planted. the ground must be
cleaned OF shells, cleared OF barbed
wire; villages. cities, must be rebuilt
sewer systems must be Installed. The
mess must be moved. II Is a big Job.
One great misfortune Is that al
though u months have come and gone
since the signing OF the armistlce, ne
general comprehensive plan OF recon
struction has been started. Here and
there small sections Of the devastated
regions are being partly reconstructed
Temporary provision Is being made
for the homeless. This Is all well ant
good, but Intelligent, economical, effl
clent and speedy reconstruction de
mands general plan and an organiza
tlon big enough to put II over. TIL,
doing OF this work requires vision anC
capacity for doing big things well. Il
the physical reconstruction is left I,
Europe II viii not be finished In 81
years. Here Is chance for AmerIca
We have faculty OF doing things OF
big scale and in a short period o.
time, Europe needs our help. II w,
are 10 give II eventually. why not now
But the clearing up OF the wreckag
and the rebuilding is minor problem
compared with the other greater AM
more important question OF reconstruc
ton. the reconstruction OF Industry
the establishment OF normal life.
The reclamation Of the deyastate,
area IS, after all. only o matter O
plan, time and money. and notwith
standing the fact that Europe is bank
rupt today. the money must and vii
come. The barbed wire will be roIlel
up. the mines and shells VIII be dui
from the fields. the villages win be r.
built: everything that has been de
etYoyed win be replaced Physical re
construction is the least CT Europei
problems.
The graat problem Is the Eeconstruc