The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1920-02-06
PROBLEMS FACING
STRICKEN WORLD
Shall Chaos Or Reconstruction
N Europe Follow the Great
World War;
IMPERATIVE NEED FOR ACTION
Twelve menths Since the slsnlne Of
the Armistiee Practically Wasted
Call for Aid From America
Must 6e hesdsd
Article v.

Article v,
BY FRANK coMERFoRp.
The signing Of the armistics ended
the lighting. The signing of the peace
treaty brought peace, but neither Of
these acts restored devastated Europe.
The great job ahead is the work Of re-
construction, and when l write the
word Reconstruction" l have not in
mind the mere rebuilding Of the war
stricken areas Of france Belgium,
Italy. Poland and Russia. Gigantic
and important as this task Ia, neces-
sary a. 1t is, 1t II only q small part Of
the work Of real reconstruction. Hun
dreds Of thousands of square miles
make up the actual war zone, the
ground marched over. the territory un-
der shell fire. Millions Of acres Of land
that once yielded food in response to
the touch Of the pillow have for the
past four years been titled by high ex-
plOsives.
Belgium was literally looted. pill
Jagged and ravished. Almost the en-
tire state was violated. Nearly one
eighth Of France, her Industrial sec
ton, was crushed. Buildings were de-
stroyed, factories dismantled. /. Sixty
thousand square miles in Poland were
laid waste. Italy suffered terribly.
The ground Ii filled vita high explo-
sives, undischarsed mines and shells.
Every day since the work Of recovery
and restoration began men working
In this zone have been blown to pieces.
Billions Of feet Of barbed wire and
millions Of tons Of metal make Q dan
gerous wilderness out Of what was
once a highly productive area.
Cities and villages are jungles Of
twisted. broken. torn wood, iron, brick
and stone. I have walked through
these villages and have stood stunned
ty the completeness of the destruc-
TN. The streets are uneven and
lumpy with brick and stone and plas-
ter and glass, aisles Of wreckage. Roof
less houses with walls Quilted and torn,
heaps and piles Of broken building ma
terial; jagged, ragged pinnacles, masses
Of debris meet the eye. Had not known
Of the war and come upon one Of these
unsightly, shapeless masses Of materi-
al, I should have thought nature had
entered into a mad conspiracy, COM
bining and concentrating all of the
powers Of q cyclone, q tornado End
an earthquake, and spilled their fury
on these mangled, dead villages.
Sights to Wiring the Heart.
Picture the refugees returning to
these villages-coming back home.
What the sight must have meant to
them. I have seen them, their faces
gray as the gray ruins, standing in the
midst of their destroyed homes. I
have seen them picking their way over
piles Of stone and brick through great
openings made in the broken walls. I
saw in their eyes homesickness, hurt
Of heart I never shall forget. Old men
and old women and little bare-legged
children; now and again boy with
. worn, soiled uniform. some ,limping
on clutches. others wearing an empty
sleeve. One thought ssurged through
my mind until 1t almost sickened me
War. The land of the war zone
must be reclaimed. These acres are
needed now more than they were be-
fore the war. The worlds food sup
ply is low. Hundreds Of miles Of
trenches must be filled up. Trees
must be planted. the ground must be
cleaned Of shells, cleared Of barbed
wire; villages. cities, must be rebuilt
sewer systems must be installed. The
mess must be moved. It il big job.
One great misfortune 10 that al
though II months have come and gone
since the signing Of the armistice. NO
general comprehensive plan Of recon.
struction has been started. Here and
there small sections Of the devastated
regions are being partly reconstructed
Temporary provision 10 being made
for the homeless. This IL all well and
good, but intelligent, economical. en-
Gent and speedy reconstruction de
mands a general plan and an ORGANISE
tion big enough to put It over. Thu
doing of this work requires vision and
capacity for doing big things wei. 4
the physical reconstruction 10 left tt
Europe It will not be finished In q
years. Here 10 chance for America
We have a faculty Of doing things o.
Q big scale and In Q short period d
time. Europe needs our help. II VI
are to give It eventually. why not now
But the clearing up Of the wreckag
and the rebuilding IL Q minor problem
compared with the other. greater ami
more important question Of reccnstrue
ton, the reconstruction Of industry
the establishment Of normal life.
The reclamation Of the devastated
area H. after III, only q matter o
plan, time and money. and notwith
standing the fact that Europe 10 bank
(fupt today. the money must and VII
come. The barbed wire will be role
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