The Bowbells tribune., 1920-11-12

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| missioner of New York, DR.. Copeland,
sailed for the other side Just to meas
ure the danger and take precaution
against such an invasion.
This is one menace at our thresh:
old. The other, more threatening,
lnore terrible, is the menace Of the
worlds S, Ill will. We can afford to die,
but to be despised forever as greedy
AND pharisaical nation is fate that
we must not incur.
The French government has many
serious problems to solve, but the
French peasantry 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 seriousness 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 isfmeeting the problems Of
reconstruction just us 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 do?" l
am glad to give my own answer.
Accordingly, would ask:
1.-That congress Immediately pass
a bill appropriating a sum not to ex-
ceed $500O00.OOO Cor the use OF GEN.
trail and eastern Europe.
2,-That congress call upon the
president to appoint non-political
commission Of three Americans, dis
tinguished for their character and
executive ability and commanding the
respect of the American people. Such
I: commission should include men Of
the type Of General Pershing, Mr.
Hoover or ex-Secretary Lane. I
would invest that commission with
complete power.
81 would have the commission
instructed to proceed at once, accom-
panied by proper personnel, to survey
conditions in central and eastern
Europe, and then to act for the
restoration Of those countries, under
Such\ conditions and upon such terms
us the commission itself may decide
to be practicable and effective. Among
the conditions should be provided that
there should be no local interference
with the free and untrammeled exer-
else by the commission of its own
prerOgative Of allocating materials.
Governmental politics should be elm
mated; unreasonable and prejudicial
barriers between the various countries
should be removed, and such substan-
tial guarantees as may he available
should be exacted in order that the
conditions imposed should be fulfilled.
4.-As to financial terms, l should
make them liberal: I 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 con-
ditions of the country We're not ap-
proaching normal, or If its exchange
conditions We're so adverse as to make
payment unduly burdensome. Ishould
make the maturity of the obligation
fifteen years from it's date, and
should have no doubt as to it's linal
payment.
5.-Immediately = the plan was
adopted. would have our government
invite other governments in position
TO assist. to participate in the under
taking.
6.-To set forth completely my
opinion. l should add that in the final
instructions the American people,
through their government, should say
to the commission:
I'VE want to 60 and do this job In
such a manner as, after study, you
think it should he done. THIS is no
ordinary undertaking. The American
people trust you to see that 1t Is done
right" "
I would also say to the commits.
sion:
"Use SO much Of this money as is
needed" Personally, I am confident |
that with. the assistance and co. |
operation which would come from
other parts OF the world, the sum OF |
S5OO.O00 600 from the United States |
would be more than enough to start
these countries on their way to self |
support and the restoration of normal |
conditions.
The whole plan, Of course, involves
many practical considerations, the 1
most serious of which Is that Of OBJ |
tanning the money, whether by issuing |
additional Liberty bonds, an increase |
in the floating debt, or by taxation. |
But 1 think we could properly say to |
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 Importance
of defiation, and we know that the
government must econOmize and that
individuals must economize, but we
also know that the American govern. |
ment advanced. $4,000, ,O0O, 900 to its
allies to attain victory and peace. |
Certainly it is worth making the ad-
ditional 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 in Europe there can be no
peace"
Ahnyn OIL rhjnrs would sav thnf l