The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1920-02-03

In excess of q thousand francs, and
on that day you could buy almost nine
francs for an American dollar. Can
France pay? The figures prove France
insolvent. Her officials and her men
OF prominence say she cannot pay.
Her war debt is enormous.
Poverty On Every Side.
Italy Is as bankrupt a. France. A
forced loan temporarily held the Ira
from losing all Of its value. Her war
debt threatens the throne.
In the new Balkan countries We find
no gold reserve, little but poverty. In
Czecho- the government closed
the borders for ten days, commanded
the people to bring their money to the
banks whore stamps were put on the
bills. When they brought their money
they were given 80 per cent Of 1t
back and receipts for the balance. In
this way the government cut down
the volume Of paper money 80 per
cent. Even after this was done in the
city Of Prague l bought kronsns for
less than two cents 4 piece.
In Poland every kind and species Of
paper money 10 In circulation. Her
frontiers have not been nxed BY the
peace table, and the profiteers In
money smuggling have dumped the
worthless paper Of Europe into Po-
land. In October l was In Warsaw
and my recollection II that the marx
was worth about two cents In Amer
lean money. Poland has no metal
money. She hasn't . gold reserve.
Her struggle to get credit to keep her
people from dying By the millions
from hunger and cold ID pitiful.
Austria 10 penniless, proverty-strick-
en-. Vienna is a city Of ghosts. list
less, pepless, human beingR They
drag their feet after them. Their
heads are bent between their shout
ders. The kronen was worth . cent
when 1 was there in September. and
even at that price there was prac-
tically nothing to buy. Austria In her
extremity, her people starving. peti-
toned the peace table for the priv
ilege Of selling her art treasures and
heirlooms. The plea was to exchange
them for bread and coal. Necessity
prompted the plea. The peace table
refused the permission, holding that
these things Of value might be the
only collateral out Of which the IL
lies could collect the indemnity.
Europe's debt II her crown Of
thorns, as her dead 10 her cross. On
rest is her Calvary. A new Order II
her hope-her resurrection.
Facing oIsantie Tass<
Europe Ii not dying; she IL eH
hausted, tortured, confused. She II
trying to find herself. She IL putting
all of her remaining strength into thu
effort. The task before her 10 stupen
dous. She must rebuild her house
She must nurse her wounded, care fol
her cripples. She has counted hel
losses, inventoried her possessions.
The past must bury Its dead. To
morrow ID for the living. Today sh'
Is planning for the tomorrow. Sh'
must repair her house. put 1t In or
der. To understand her work. t.
know her plans. to feel her problem
it is necessary to know her thoughts
Unrest is frightening her. Fear
keeping her from work. II is causinl
her to worry. With all her soul sh
is pleading to the rich and powerfu
to become a. little children again
her children. She il telling them tina
the fate Of the family 10 at stake, tina
they must make concessions to thei
more unfortunate brothers. She
trying to make them understand tina
they are brothers. Many OF ther
have forgotten the relationship. Vine
she urges them to stop wrangling an
auarreling she 10 pleading for thei
common good. the family welfare. sh
IL warning against the danger OF Jul
tice too long denied. Of unrest too Ion
pent up. She il translating the mu
terings and mumblings Of the discoa
tented. She knows the complaint !
their hearts. she sympathizes, she u
derstandA y
This was Europe ~ saw her
her black rags arising from the va
Copyright, 1879. western Newspaper Unis1
Greatest American humorist
4