The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1920-06-16

ties. There are now approximately
100000 cases of typhus in Poland and
in the area occupied by Polish troops.
Worst Typhus Epidemic in History.
This is already one of the worst ty-
plus epidemics in the worlds history
In Galicia whole towns are crippled
and business suspended. In some dis
tricts there is but one doctor to each
10000 people.
In the Ukraine, we were told, typhus
and influenza have affected most of the
population.
A report from Vienna, dated Febru-
airy II, said: There are rations for
three weeks. Death stalks through the
streets of Vienna and takes unhinder-
ed toll.
Budapest, according to our informa-
ton, is one vast city of misery and
suffering. The number of deaths is
double that of births. Of the 10000
children in the schools, 100000 are de-
pendent on public charity. There arr
10000 workers idle
Typhus and smallpox have invaded
the four countries composing Czecho-
Slovakia, and there is lack of medi-
cines, soap and physicians.
In Serbia typhus has broken out
again and there are but 200 physicians
to minister to the needs of that entire
country.
In Montenegro, where food is rum
ming short, there are but five physi-
clans for population of 100000.
America Overlooking With Riches.
Returning to the United States a
few weeks ago with all these horrors
ringing in my ears, 1 found myself
once more in a land whose granaries
were overlooking, where health and
plenty abounded and where life and
activity and eager enterprise were in
the full food.
asked myself: "What If this plague
and famine were here in the great ter
ritory between the Atlantic seaboard
and the Mississippi valley, which
roughly parallels the extent of these
ravaged countries and that 65,OOO,OO0
of our own people condemned to idle
ness by lack of raw material and
whose fields had been devastated by
invasion and rapine were racked b!
starvation and pestilence and if we
had lifted up our voices and invoked
the attention of our brothers in hap
pier Europe to our own deep miseries
and our cries had fallen on deaf ears,
would we not in our despair excla1m
againSt their heartleSSneSS y
Only Three Ways to Help Europe.
There are only three ways by which
these stricken lands can secure sup
plies 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 materials
and supplies in America at the present
iuarket value of their currencies Aus
tria would have to pay forty times the
original cost, Germany thirteen times,
Greece just double, CZecho- Slovak1a
fourteen times and Poland fifty times.
These figures are official and are
true index of the economic plight Of
these countries.
1t is clear. therefore, that they can
not give us gold for the things they
must have, nor have they either prod
ucts or securities TO offer in return for
credit. If only they could obtain raw
material which these idle millions of
theirs could convert into manufactured
products they would have something to
tender the world in return for its raw
material, food and medicine. But II
they have neither money nor credit
now are they to take this first great
step towards redemption
One-half the world may not eat
while the other half starves How
long do you believe the plague OF ty-
phus that is taking a hideous death
toll in Esth0nia and Poland and the
T-t;rI:np and eating along the fringss
.,f Germany and G echo SloYakia Will
-.l,linr itself to these remote lands?
.r'l~ ErS: Sn'urtlnv our health co.
missioner of New York, Dr. Copeland,
sailed for the other side just to meas
are the danger and take precaution
against such an invasion.
This Is one menace at our threshold.
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 a greedy and phar-
isaical nation is 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.