Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1920-05-20

uSdlIlSt SUCH I'LL luNt5iCl
This Is one menace at our threshold.
The other, more threatening, nj" " ter
rible, is the menace of the worlds III
will. We can afford to die, but to be
despised forever as a 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 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 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 dof"
am glad to give my own answer.
Accordingly, ] would ask:
l. That Congress Immediately pass
bin approprating sum not TO OK
coed $500OO0,0O0 for the use of Cen
trail and Eastern Europe.
2 That Congress call upon the Pres
dent to appoint 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
commission should include men of
The type of General Pershing, Mr..
Hoover or eX-Secreiary Lane. would
invest that commission with complete
power,
3. would have the commission in
structeh 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-
lions and upon such terms rs the com
mission itself may decide to he 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-
sonabe and prejudicial barriers be-
tween the various countries should he
removed, and such substantial guaran-
tees as may be available should he ex-
acted in order that the conditions i'm
posed should be fulfilled.
4. AS to financial terms, ! should
make them liberal. | would charge no
interest for the first three years; fog
the next three years, & per cent, with
provision that such interest might he
funded If the economic conditions of
the country We're not approaching nor
NAL, or If its exchange conditions were
so adverse as to make payment un-
duly burdensome | should make the
maturity Of the obligation Ia years
from its date, and should have no
doubt as to its final payment,
s. Immediately the plan was adopt
ed would have our government in
wife other governments in 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 II manner as, after study, you
tErk ii should he done. This is no
ordinary undertaking. The American
people trust you to see that Il is done
right.
I WOua also say 10 the commission :
Use so much of this money as is
needed" Personally, | am confident
| that with the assistance and co-opeG,-
tion which would come from other
| parts OF the world the sum of $780,
| 600 600 from the United States would
he more than enough to start these
countries on their way to selr support
and the restoration Of normal cond.
| lions.
The whole plan, of course, Involves
many practical considerations, the
most serious OF which is that of Oh
tninlng 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
| a.,
cial problems are: we know the 1fff-
culties which are Immediately cou',
fronting YOU; we know the importancs
of detlation and we know that the gov:
ernment must ecpnQmize and that IN
diyiduaIs must economic, hut we also
know that the American government
advanced $4,000, 100000 to Its allies
to attain victory and peace. Certain
ly 1t 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 III
Europe there can DO no 'beate.': y
Above ali things, | would say that
whatever action is taken should be
taken Immediately. The CRISIS Is 81
acute that the situatipn does NOT adj
nit Of delay, except with the possibili
Y af consequences one hardly dnres
contemplate.
The situation that have spread out
here Is far beyond the scope Of indi
vidual charity. Only by the actiQn 81
governments quf owe and the other:
whose resources enable them TO coop
crate, can aid be given In sufficient
,olnnna Il AM alsn confident that nNl