Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1920-05-20


missioner of New York, DIR. Copeland,
sailed for the other side just to meas
ure the danger and take precautiOn
against such an invasion.
This is one menace alone behold.
The other more threatening, more ter.
rible is the menace of the worlds ILL
will. We can afford to die. To be
despised forever as a greedy and Phar-
isaical nation 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 lost his
habit of industry and thrift. The most
encouraging fact about France today
is that her people are alive to the SER
iousness of Frances problem and they
are going forward bravely to solve
that problem.
Italy, despite her great shortage of
raw material, is locking forward and
not backward. Italy can be relied
upon 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 formula for solution of the
worlds ills, but as I have been asked
many times, What would you dor I
am glad to give my own answer.
Accordingly, would ask:
/. That congress Immediately pass
bill approprating a sum not to ex-
ceed S50O,000000 for the use of Central
and Eastern Europe.
2. That congress call upon the
president to appoint a non-political
commission of three Americans, dis
tinguished for their character and eX-
ecutive 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 complete
power.
g. would have the commission In
structed to proceed at once, accom-
panied by proper personnel to survey
conditions in Central and Eastern Eu-
rope and then act for the restoration
of these countries under such cOhdi-
tionS and upon such terms as the COM
mission itself may decide to be prac-
ticable and effective. Among the con-
ditions 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 limited, unreason-
able and prejudicial barriers between
the various countries should be re-
moved and such substantial guaran-
tees as may be available should be
exacted in order that the conditions
imposed should be fulfilled.
4. AS to financial terms, should
make them liberal. 1 would charge no
interest for the first three years; for
the next three years, six per cent, with
provision that such interest might be
funded if the economic conditions OF
the country We're not approaching nor
nal, or if it's exchange conditions were
so adverse as to make payment I'M
duly burdensome should make the
maturity of the obligation fifteen
years from it's date and should have
no doubt as to its final payment.
S. Immediately the plan was adopt
ed would have our government invite
other governments in position to as
sit to participate in misunderstanding.
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 go and do this job
ft,v, stud
think it should be done This is no
ordinary undertaking. The American
! people trust you to see that it is done
right
l would also say to the commission :
$ Use as much of this money as
needed Personally, I am confident
: that with the assistance and cooper
1 alton which would come from other
parts of the world, the sum of $780,
2 100000 from the United States would
: be more than enough to start these
l countries on their way to self-support
j and the restoration of normal condi-
e tiOns.
The whole plan, of course, involves
: many practical considerations, the
] most serious of which is of obtaining
Y the money, whether by issuing addi'
y tional Liberty Bonds, an increase In
e the floating debt, or by taxation.
i But think we could properly say tt
y the treasury department.:
), .We know how serious your finan
), cial problems are; we know the diff
n ficulties which are Immediately con
fronting you; we know the import
ance of dehation and we know tha
h the government must economic ant
J. that individuals must economic, bu
IS we also know that the American gov
e erment can. advance $10,000,O 100000 t.
s. its allies to attain victory and peace
Is Certainly it is worth making the add
s. .tional advance in order to realize tn
:, peace for which we have already strug
IS gled, for nothing is more certain thai
y that until normal conditions are re
o. stored in Europe, there can be n
y peace
e A6ove all things, I would say tina
of whatever action is taken should
taken Immediately. The crisis is S
a. acute that tie situation does not ADM
" of delay except with the possibility Q
d. consequences one hardly dares col
or template.
W The situation that have sprea
of out here is far beyond the scope 9
d. individual charity. Only by the actio
to of governments-our own and the otl