The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1920-06-07

sailed for The other side just 10 meas
ure the danger and take precantion
against such an Invasion.
This Is one menace az our threshold
The other, more threatening. more ter
rib!e, is the menace of the worlds i'll
Will. We can afford to die, but to be
despised forever as greedy ard phar-
lsaical nation is a fate that we must
not incur.
The French government has many
/ serious problems to solve. but 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
robustness 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 Ter part!
England is meeting the problems OF
reconstruction just as those who knew
her pasts should lave 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
am glad to give my own answer.
Accordingly, Iwould ask:
l. That Congress Immediately pass
a bill appropriatng sum not to ex.
coed 500. 900 for the use of Cen
trail and Eastern Europe.
2. That Congress call upon the Pres
ident to appoint a nonpoitical COM
mission of three Americans, distin-
guished for their character and exec
utive ability and commanding the re-
spect Of the American people. Such
Il commission should include men Of
The type OF General Pershlng, Mr.
Hoover or eX-Secretary Lane. l would
invest that commission with complete
power
3. | would have the commission in
structcd to proceed at once, accompa-
MED by proper personnel. to survey
conditions in Central and Eastern ELL
rope and then act for the restoration
OF those countries under such cOndi.
lions 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
SInpII Ian int e I,
the free and untrammeled exercise by
the commission Nf its own prerogative
of allucating materials. Governmental
politics should be eliminated: unrea-
Sonable and pre- judicial barriers be
tween the various countries should be
removed. and such substantial guaran-
tees as may be available should be ex-
acted in order that the conditions i'm
posed should be fulfilled
a. AS to financial terms, I 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 II the economic conditions OF
the country were not approaching nor
NAL, or if its exchange conditions were
so adverse as to make payment I'M
duly burdensome, | should make the
maturity of the obligation II years
from its date, and Il should have no
doubt as TO its final payment.
D. Immediately the plan was adopt
ed ! would have our government in
vite other governments in 4 position
to assist, to participate in the under
taking
g. 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:
1--WE want you to go and do this job
in such Il manner as. after study, you
think 1t should be done This is no
ordinary undertaking. The American
people trust you to see that 1t 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-
I ilOH NUlNH NOulU tOIllt from OtlltT
parts of the world the sum of $500
100000 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 | think we could properly say TO
the treasury department
eve know how serious your 'iinan-
cinl problems are; we know the diiil- |
culties which are Immediately con |
fronting you we know the importance
Of deflation. and we know that the gov |
eminent must economize and that in
dividualS must economic, but we also
know that the American government |
advanced $l0O00,O00.OU0 to its allies |
to attain victory and peace. Certain
~ ii is worth making the additional |
advance in order to realize the peace |
for which we have already struggled, |
for nothing Is more certain than that |
until normal conditions are restored in |
Europe there can be no peace"
L. I ~.