The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1920-07-07

Budapest, according to our informa-
ton, Is one vast city Of misery and
suffering. The number of deaths Ia
double that Of births. OF the 100000
children I'm the schools, 100000 are de-
pendent on public charity. There are
10000 workers idle,
Typhus and smallpox have invaded
the four countries composing Czecho-
Slovakla, and there is lack of medl-
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 run
ming short, there are but five physi-
clans for a population OF 100000.
America Overlooking with Riches.
Returning to the United States a
few weeks ago with all these horrors
ringing in my ears, found myself
once more in land whose granaries
were overlooking, where health and
plenty abounded and where life and
activity and eager enterprise were in
the full flood.
l 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 6J,000,0O0
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 by
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 eXclaim
against their heartlessnessv
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.
II these peoples tried to buy materials
and supplies in America at the present
market value of their currencies Aus
original cost, Germany thirteen times,
Greece just double, CZechO- Slovakia
fourteen times and Poland fifty times.
These figures are official and are a
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 i'm return for its raw
material, food and medicine. But if
they have neither money nor credit
how 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-
plus that is taking hideOus death
toll in ESthOnia and Poland and the
Ukraine and eating along the frnges
of Germany and CZecho-Slovakia will
confine itself tC these remote lands?
Only last Saturday our health com.
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 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 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, sand
they are going forward brayely 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 1 have been asked
many times. "What would you dor"
am glad to give my own answer.
Accordingly, would ask:
l. That Congress Immediately pass
bill appropriating a sum not to ex-
coed $500,00O,000 for the use of Gen.
trail and Eastern Europe
2. That Congress call upon the Pres
ident TO appoint nonpolltical 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
fha TYNE nf GanaraI parehinO Mr.