The Delta independent., 1920-05-28

nor credit. how are they TO take this
first great step towards redemption?
One-haif of the world may not eat
while the other half starves. How
long do you believe the plague of ty
phus that is ,aking a hideous death
toll in Esthonia and Poland and the
Ukraine and eating along the fringes
of Germany and Czecho- Slokayia will
cOnfine itself 10 these remote lands?
Only last Saturday our health COM
missioner of New York, DIR. Copeland,
sailed for the ether side just to Iheas-
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 10 die, but to be
despised forever as a greedy and phar-
isaical ration is 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 iost his
habit of industry and thrift The most
encouraging fact about France today is
that her people are alive to the seri-
BUSINESS 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 up
on 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, but as i have been asked
many times. What would you do?" l
am glad to give my own answer.
Accordingly. l would ask;
l. That Congress Immediately pass
a bill appropriating sum not to ex-
ceed 100000. 900 for the use of Cen
tral and Eastern Europe.
2. That Congress call upon the
President 10 appoint non-pOlitical
commission of three Americans, dis
tinguished for their character and ex-
ecutive ability, and commanding the
EtSDtNl VI Al4t 1ElAtllNtsn people, NNNh
a commission should include men of
the type OF General Pershing. Mr..
Hoover, or eN-Secretary Lane. l would
invest that commission with complete
power.
3. / would have the commission in
Structed to proceed at>once, accompan-
led by proper personnel. to survey con-
ditions in Central and Eastern Europe,
and then act for the restoration of
those countries under such conditions
and upon such terms as the commits
sion itself may decide to be practical
BILE and effective. Among the condi-
tons 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. unreaSon-
able and preiudicial barriers between
the various countries should he re-
moved and such substantial guarantees
as may be available should he exacted
in order that the conditions imposed
should be fulfilled.
4 As TO financial terms, l should
make them liberal. / would charge no
interest for the first three years, for
the next three years, 6 per cent. with
provision that such interest might be
funded if the economic conditions Of
the country were not approaching nor
mai, or if its exchange conditions were
so adverse as to make payment unduly
burdenSome | should make the marur-
ity of the obligation fifteen years from
its date and l should have no doubt as
to its final payment.
s. Immediately the plan was
adopted | would have our government
invite other governments in position
To assist TO participate in the under
taking
6 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 it should be
done. This is no ordinary undertake
ing The American people trust you
to see that il is done right" l would
also say 10 the commission: Use 50
much of this money us is needed" Per-
sonally, | am confident that with the
assistance and corporation which |
would come from other parts of the
world the sum of S50o,Oo0,oSo from the
Cnited States would he more than |
enough To start these countries on their |
way 10 self support and the reStora- !
tion Of normal conditions.
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