River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1920-05-27
many and Czecho-Slovakia viii
,A.2 ~ 4ro., rayv,oto laudo9

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 thresh-
hold, the other more threatening, more
terrible, is the menace IT the worlds
i'll will We can afford 10 die, but to
be despised forever as q greedy and
pharisaical nation is fate that we
mus 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 seri-
BUSINESS 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.
It is not for me, perhaps, to give in
detail formula for solution OF the
worlds ills, but as l have been asked
many times, What would you do?
am glad to give my own answer.
Accordingly, would ask:
1. That Congress Immediately pass
a bill appropriating sum not to ex-
coed $50O,OoO.O 900 for the use of GEN.
trail and eastern Europe.
2. That Congress call upon the Presi-
dent to appoint nonpolitical commits
sioh OF three Americans, distinguished
for their character and executive abili-
ty and commanding the respect Of the
American people. Such commission
should include men of the type Of Gen.
eral Pershing. Mr., Hoover or ex-Secre-
tary Lane. / would invest that COM
mission. with complete power.
8. would have the commission in
structed to proceed at once, accom-
panied by proper personnel, to survey
conditions in central and eastern Eu-
rope and then act for the restoration
of those countries under such condi-
tions and upon such terms as the COM
mission itself may decide to be prac-
ticable and effective. Among the con-
ditions should be provided that there
should be no local interference with
the free and untrammeled exercise by
the commission I its own prerOgative
OF allocating materials. Governmental
politics should be eliminated; unrea-
sonable and prejudicial barriers be-
tween the various countries should be
removed and such substantial guaran-
tees as may be available should be
exacted in order that the conditions
imposed should be fulfilled
4. AS to financial terms, I should
! make them liberal. / 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 conditions OF
the country were not approaching
normal, or If its exchange conditions
were so adverse as to make payment
unduly burdensome. / should make
the maturity Of the obligation Is years
from its date, and | should have no
doubt as to its final payment.
S, Immediately the plan was adopt
other governments In position to as
sist, to participate In the undertaking.
6. To set forth completely my
opinion, should add that In the final
instructions the American rople
through their government, should say
to the commission:
1--WE want you to go and do this job
in such manner as, after study, you
think it should be done. This Is no
ordinary undertaking. The American
people trust you to see that 1t is done
right"
I also would say to the commission:
use so much of this money as Is
needed"
Personally, am confident that with
the assistance and cooperation which
would come from other parts Of the
world the sum Of $500 100000 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
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 l 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 gov
eminent must economize and that in
dividuals must economic but We also
know that the American government
advanced $4,000, O00. 900 to its allies