Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1920-03-06

with him, either metal or paper nio"'
In excess of a thousand francs, an"
on that day you could buy almost l,"o
francs for an American dollar. Can
France pay? The figures prove rance
insolvent. Her officials and her '"eH
of prominence say she cannot pay
Her war debt is enormous.
Poverty on Every Side.
Italy is as bankrupt as France
forced loan temporarily held the IRA
from losing all of its value. Her wal
debt threatens the throne.
In the new Balkan countries we hilu
no gold reserve, little but poverty III
CzechO- SlOvakia the government cloSeu
the borders for ten days, commander
the people to bring their money 10 'i'e
banks where stamps were put Oh tiie
bills. When they brought their money
they were given 80 per cent Oh II
back and receipts for the balance. III
this way the government cut do"n
the volume of paper money % pei
cent. Even after this was done I'D INC
city Of Prague | bought kronens lor
less than two cents piece.
In Poland every kind and species OF
paper money is in circulation. hei
frontiers have not been fixed oy lle
peace table, and the prohteers III
money smuggling have dumped the
worthless paper of Europe into 70
land. In October | was in Warsaw
and my recollection is that the marx
was worth about two cents III Amer,
lean money. Poland has no het"i
money. She hasn't a gold reserve
Her struggle to get credit to keep her
people from dying by the millions
from hunger and cold is pitiful.
Austria is penniless, prOverty-strlck-
en-. Vienna is city of ghosts list
less, pepess. human beings. Ihey
drag their feet after them. Their
heads are bent between their shoul-
ders. The krOnen was worth a cent
when | was there in September anu
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 ana
heirlooms. The plea was to exchange
them for bread and coal. Necessity
prompted the plea. The peace table
refused the permission, holding thar
these things of value might be the
only collateral out of which the al
lies could collect the indemnity.
Europe's debt is her crown OF
thorns. as her dead is her cross. IN
rest is her Calvary. new Order Is
her hope-her resurrection.
Facing Gigantic Task.
Europe is not dying; she is ex'
hausted. tortured, confused. She Is
trying to find herself. She is putting
all of her remaining strength into the
effort. The task before her is stupen-
dous. She must rebuild her house.
She must nurse her wounded, care for
her cripples. She has counted her
losses, inventoried her possessions.
The past must bury its dead. To-
morrow is for the living. Today she
is planning for the tomorrow. she
must repair her house, put 1t In or
der. To understand her work, to
know her plans, to feel her problem.
it is necessary to know her thoughts.
Unrest is frightening her. Fear Is
keeping her from work. 1t Is causing
her to worry. With all her soul she
is pleading to the rich and powerful
to become as little children again,
her children. She is telling them that
the fate of the family is at stake, that
they must make concessions to their
more unfortunate brothers. She Is
trying to make them understand that
they are brothers. Many of them
have forgotten the relationship. When
she urges them to stop wrangling and
quarreling she is pleading for their
common good. the family welfare. She
is warning against the danger of JUS
tice too long denied. of unrest too long
pent up. She is translating the NUT
terings and mumblings of the discon-
tented. She knows the complaint in
their hearts. she sympathizes. she un-
derstands.
This was Europe as I saw her In
her black rags arising from the war.
Copyright. 1920. Western Newspaper Union)