The Wrangell sentinel., 1920-02-19

sazsaaIzss world safe for aiyilisation is more serious than was the question of making II safe for democracy four wears ago. If there was reason for sacrifice then, there is reason for It now. If there was cause for g mili- tary morale then, there Is need or an industrial morale today. Freedom called men to fight and die that au' tocracy might not rule and ruin the world. The issue now is not only freedom, 1t Is life-the chance te eat to be warm-to sleep, and tired, wounded, worn and weary people face the temorrows with little faith and much fear.
 went to Europe to see for mF- self. was unattached. free agent. I was not a member of Mission I had no preconceived opinions.
 sought facts-the human facts. looked into the eyes of the people, walked the streets, talked with men, women and children, rich and poor, humble and powerful, journalists. bankers. lawyers, preachers, altprS, government officials. coal miners, team. sters. factory hands, labor leaders. rad icals, conservatives. children of the street and women at their washtubs, farmers and peasants, tenants and landlords. cross.examined official records and pursued official figures. listened to opinions, heard speeches. interviewed the streets, listened to the conversations of the cafes and the talk of the cheap restaurants. l knew that few Americans would have the chance to go to Europe to see and hear for themselves, that the millions of Amer lea would be compelled to depend upon the eyes and ears of others for tn- formation concerning a problem Of world importance, problem that Is bound to involve us-we are part of 1t. No country is independent. Ma tions are interdependent to the extent and for the same reasons individuals ar6,
 Only Hope Is In America.
 Europe looks to America for saliva. tion, as a dying man looks to God for mercy. We are her only hope. If the United States adopts the policy of leaving Europe alone on the theory that we have done enough for her. Europe will be plunged into the sav- agery of revolution. It is faith in Amepica. belief that America will sus- tain her, help her carry the awful load that is bending and almost breaking the back of weak and crippled Europe. that Is keeping her from succumbing. This faith is about the only thing Eu- rope has left.
 What is America? It isn't the build ings and banks, the railroads, the houses and the land. 1t is the one hun dred and ten million people of whom you are one. So Europe's plea is ad- dressed to you. The prayers of her hungry children are petitions to you. America's policy-the answer of the United States. will come from the judgment of the people. No man or woman can escape the responsibility. Each of us will contribute to the de- cision. It isn't hypothetical case we are called upon to deGide-it is g question involving tho life of human beings, men. women and children who are blood of our blood, part of he great world family-the human race. Shall we close down our shops, fac tories, mills and mines, bolt the doors. stop production at time millions of human beings are crying to us for help? Can we listen to the thin, bony hands of children knocking at our doors and sit in our comfortable homes. leaving them to die on our threshold9 No call to arms ever had so much right back of 1t, so much hu- manity as the call to work has to- day.
 The house of Europe has been on fire. It has been wrecked. It Is scared and charred-a ruin. The cupboards are empty, the people demoralized and sick. Winter Is attacking them. Hun. ger has strangle hold. They are In rags. They must rebuild. and they haven't the material for the work. They turn to US. Their condition Is their plea, our condition, our obliga- ton. If the golden rule ever had any