Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1920-06-02

The other, more threatening, more ter
rible, is the menace of the worlds ill
will. We can afford to die, but to be
despised forever as greedy and phar-
isaical nation is a 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 Sc
robustness of Frances problem, and
they are going forward bravely 70
solve that problem.
Italy, despite her great shortage of
raw material, is looking 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.
It is not for me perhaps to give in
detail formula for solution of the
worlds ills, but as 1 have been asked
many times, "What would you do?" 1
am glad to give my own answer.
Accordingly, 1 would ask:
l. That Congress Immediately pass
a bill appropriating a sum not to ex-
coed $5OO,0OO,O00 for the use of Cen
trail and Eastern Europe.
2. That Congress call upon the Pres
ident to appoint a nonpolitical COM
mission of three Americans, distin-
guiShed for their character and exec
utive ability and commanding the re-
spect of the American people. Such
a commission should include men of
the type of General Pershing, Mr.
Hoover or eX-Secretary Lane l would
invest that commission with complete
power.
3. I would have the commission in
structed to proceed at once, accompa-
MED by proper personnel, to survey
conditions in Central and Eastern Eu-
rope and then act for the restoration
of those countries under such condi-
tons 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
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; unrea-
sonable and prejudicial 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.
4. AS to financial terms, I should
make them liberal. 1 would charge nc
interest for the first three years; fol
the next three years, per cent, with
provision that such interest might be
funded if the economic conditions OF
the country were not approaching nor
NAL, or if it's exchange conditions were
so adverse as to make payment I'm.
duly burdensome, l should make the
maturity of the obligation 10 years
from its date, and 1 should have nc
doubt as to its final payment.
5. Immediately the plan was adopt
ed 1 would have our government in
wife other governments in a 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:
eve want you to go and do this jot
| in such a manner as, after study, yoJ
| think it should be done. This is ne
ordinary undertaking. The American
| people trust you to see that it is done
right"
/ would also say to the commission
use so much of this money as i!
| needed" Personally, I am cOnfiden
that with the assistance and co-opera
! ton which would come from Othel
| parts of the world the sum of $500,
| 100000 from the United States would
| be more than enough to start thes,
countries on their way to self supper
and the restoration of normal condi
! tons.
The whole plan, of course, involves
! many practical considerations, tn,
most serious of which is that of OBJ
| tanning the money, whether by issuin,
| additional Liberty bonds, an increas,
in the floating debt or by taxation
But 1 think we could properly say t,
the treasury department:
1--WE know how serious your finan
! cial problems are {; we know the diff
culties which are Immediately con
fronting you; we know the importanc
of defiation, and we know that the gov
! eminent must economic and that in
dividuals must economic, but we ais
know that the American government
| advanced 10,000,O00OOO to it's allie
to attain victory and peace Certain
ly it is worth making the additional
advance in order to realize the peac
for which we have already struggled
for nothing is more certain than tina
until normal conditions are restored il
Europe there can be no peace"
Above all things, would say tina
whatever action is taken should b
taken Immediately. The crisis Is s.
acute that the situation does not ad
NIT Of delay, except with the possible
/ ty of consequences one hardly dare
Il contemplate.
Tho y;tua fion fbof hax,o cyroo = ~,