Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1920-05-27

Is that her people are alive to the se-
riousness Of Frances problem. and
they are going forward brayely 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! s-....
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 formula for solution Of the
worlds Ills, but as have been asked
many times, "What would you do?" I
am glad to- give my own answer.
Accordingly, I would ask:
i. That Congress Immediately pass
bill appropriating sum not to ex.
ceed $5OO.OOO,OOO for the use of Cen.
tral and Eastern Europe.
z. That Congress call upon the Pres
ident to appoint nonpoliticaI com.
mission OF three Americans, distin-
guished for their character and exec.
utire ability and commanding the re-
spect of the American people. Such
commission should include men Of
the type of General Pershing, Mr..
Hoover or ex-Secretary Lane. would
invest that commission with compIcta
power
8. L would have the commission in
structed to proceed at once, accompa-
nled ny proper personnel to survey
conditions In Central and Eastern ELL
rope and then act for the restoration
or those countries under such condi-
tions and upon such terms as the COM
mission itself may decide to be prncti-
CAME ana effective. Among the con-
ditions should be provided that there
should he no local interference with
the free and untrammeled exercise by
the commission OF its own prerogative
or alloc'ring materials. Governmental
politics should he eliminated: urrroa
sonable and prejudicial barriers he
tween the various countries should be
removed. and such substantial guaran-
tees ns may he available should be ex-
acted In order that the conditions i'm
posed should be fulfilled.
Il HH 10 niinclal terms, i should
make them liberal. | would charge no
interes; for the first three years: for
the next three years, 6 per cent with
provision that such interest might he
FUNDED II the economic conditions OF
the country were not approaching nor
maj, or II It's exchange conditions were
so adverse as to make payment un-
duly hurdensome, I should make the
maturity Of the obligation IS years
from its date. and l should have 10
doubt as ~ Its final payment.
D. Immediately the plan was adopt
ed / would have our government in.
,vite other governments In a posItion
TO assist, to participate in the under
taking.
U. To set forth completely my opin-
ion. | should add that in the final in
Structions the American peOple
through their government, should say
TO the commission:
we want you to 20 and do this Job
In such manner as. after study, you
think 1t should hc done This Is no
ordinary undertaking The American
people trust you to see that IL Is done
right"
| would also say 10 the commission
use so much % this money nS Ia
needed" Personally, | am confident
thnt with the assistance and co-opera-
tlon which would come from other
parts OF the world the sum OF $500
600 600 from the United States would
he more than enough to start these
ana the restoration OF normal cOndi-
tiOns.
The whole plan, OF course. involves
many practical considerations, the
most serious of which Is that of oh.
taining the money, whether by Issuing
additional Liberty bonds, an increase
In the floating debt or by taxation.
hut | think we could properly say to
the treasury department:
"We know how serious yOur finsn-
cial problems are; we know the diff.
cuitl"s which are Immediately con-
fronting you; we know the importance
or deiiation, and we know that the gov
"rnment must econ0miZe and that in.
dlVidunls must ecOnOmiZe. but we also
know that the American government
advanced $1,000. 100000 to its ullies
70 attain victory and peace. Certain
" II Is worth making the additional
advance In order To realize the ~ oce
Tor which we have already STRUGGLED
for nothing Is more certain thnn that
until normal conditions are restored IN
Europe there can he no peace"
Above all things, would say that
Whatever action Is taken should he
taken Immediately. The crisis is so
acute that the situation does not ad.
init or delay. except with the possibiIi-
~ or consequences one hardly dares
contemplate.
The situation that I have spread ont
here Is far beyond he scope OF indi-
vidual charity. Only by the action OF