The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1920-07-01
1--WE Must Aid by Extending
Credit" Says Dawson.
GRAVE MENACE TO U. S. A.
European Ruin Would Involve
America Starvation and
Disease Rampant

SUI, Cuu1I1hhu VI lue UOuCu Oh gov.
errors Of the League of Red Cross
societies, said: j
AS chairman of the convention of
Red Cross societies, composed of
representatives Of q nations, that met
recently in Geneva, I am custodian of
authoritative reports recording appall-
Ing conditions among millions Of peo-
pie living in eastern Europe.
One Of the most terrible tragedies
In the history Of the human race is
being enacted within the brond belt of
territory lying between the Baltic and
the Black and Adrlatic seas.
This area includes the new Baltic
states-Poland, Czecho-Slovakia, Uk-
raine, Austria, Hungary, Roumania,
Montenegro, Albania and Serbia.
The reports which come to US make
It clear that in these war-ravaged
lands civilization has broken down.
Disease, bereavement and suffering
are present in practically every house
hold, while food and clothing are in
sufficient to make life tolerable.
Men, women and children are dying
by thousands and over vast once-civil-
lied areas there are to be found
neither medical appliances nor medi-
cal skill sufficient to cope with the
devastating plaques.
Wholesale starvation Is threatened
In Poland this summer unless she can
procure food supplies In large quanti-
ties. There are now approximately
CS0 mn no COS ~ tvvI,,c ~ DoJo~1 o-1
in the area occupied by Polish troops.
Worst Typhus Epidemic In History.
This is already n Of the worst
typhus~ epidemics In the worlds his
tory. In Galicia, whole towns are
crippled and business suspended. In
some districts there is but one doctor
to each 10000 people.
In the Ukraine, we were told,
typhus and influenza have affected
most Of the people.
A report from Vienna dated Febru-
ary IL said: "There are rations for
three weeks. Death stalks through
the streets Of Vienna and takes I'M
hindered toll"
Budapest, according to our informa-
ton, Is n vast city of misery and
suffering. The number Of deaths is
double that Of births. OF 100000
children in the schools, 100000 are
dependent on public charity. There
are 10000 workers idle.
Typhus and smallpox have invaded
the four countries composing Czecho-
Slovakia, and there is lack of medi-
cineS, SOaD and physicians.
In Serbia typhus has broken out
again and there are but two hundred
physicians to minister to the needs of
that entire country.
In Montenegro, where food is run
ming short, there are but five physi-
clans for a population of 100000.
Returning to the United States a
few weeks ago with all these horrors
ringing in my ears, I found myself
nee more in a land whose granaries
were overlooking, where wealth and
plenty abounded, and where life and
activity and eager enterprise were in
the full flood.
I asked myself, "What if this plague
and famine were here in the great
territory between the Atlantic sea-
board and the Mississippi valley,
which roughly parallels the extent Of
these ravaged countries, and that Co.
100000 Of our WI people condemned
to idleness BY lack of raw material
and whose fields had been devastated
by invasion and rapine, were racked
. by starvation and pestilence, and If
we had lifted up our voices and in
voked the attention Of our brothers in
happier Europe to our own deep
: miseries and u cries had fallen on
deaf ears, would we not in our
despair exclaim against their heart.
lessness! "<
Il Only Three Ways to Help Europe.
There are only three ways by
Q which these stricken lands can secure
supplies from the outside world. One
: Is by payment, one by credit, and the
third is by exchange Of commodities
If these peoples tried to buy ma.
a terials and supplies in America at the
present market value Of their curren.
- cies Austria would have to pay forty
= times the original cost, Germany thir
- teen times, Greece just double
d Czecho-Slovakia fourteen times, and
Poland, fifty times. These figures are
official and are q true index of the
: economic plight Of these countries.
If 1t is clear, therefore, that they can
not give us gold for the things the,
must have, nor have they either prod
ucts or securities to offer in return
for credit. If only they could obtair
y raw material which these idle million.
of theirs could convert into manufac
tured products they would have some
thing to tender the world in return
: for it's raw material, food and medi
cine. Blu: If they have neither, none,
nor credit how are they to take thi:
first great step towards redemption
One half the world may not en-
'e while the other half starves. How
It long do you believe the plague o,
|, typhus that is taking a hideous dealt
toll In Esthonia and Poland and th,