The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1920-03-18

In excess OF q thousand francs, ant
on that day you could buy almost min,
francs for an American dollar. Car
France payf The figures prove France
insolyent. Her officials and her mer
OF prominence say she cannot pay
Her war debt Is enormous.
Poverty on Every Side.
Italy Is as bankrupt as France. A
forced loan temporarily held the lira
from losing all of Its value. Her war
debt threatens the throne.
In the new Balkan countries we find
no gold reserve. little but poverty. In
| -sloyakia the government closed
the borders for ten days, commanded
the people to bring their money to the
banks where stamps were put on the
bills. When they brought their money
they were given so per cent Of It
back and receipts for the balance. In
this way the government cut down
the volume Of paper money 80 per
cent Even after this was done In the
city OF Prague | bought kronens for
less than two cents a piece.
In Poland every kind and species Of
paper money Ii In circulation. Her
frontiers have not been fixed by the
peace table. and the profteers Ia
money smuggling have dumped the
worthless paper of Europe into Pc
land. In October l was In Warsaw
and my recollection Is that the mark
was worth about two cents in Amer
lean money. Poland has no metal
money. She hasn't 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-strick-
en-. Vienna IL city Of ghosts, list
less. pepless human beings. They
drag their feet after them. Their
heads are bent between their Shout
ders. The kronen was worth cent
when ! was there In September. and
even at that price there was prac-
ticaily nothing to buy. Austria In her
extremity, her people starving petit
toned the peace table for the priv
ilege Of selling her art treasures and |
heirlooms. The plea was to exchange
them for bread and coal. Necessity |
the plea. The peace table
refused the permission, holding that
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, ~ her dead is her cross. IN
rest is her Calvary. A new Order IL
her hope-her resurrection.
Facing Gigantic Task.
Europe is not dying; she is ex-
tortured, confused. She IL
rying to find herself She is putting
Ill of her remaining strength into the
Effort. The task before her is stupen-
lous. She must rebuild her house.
She must nurse her wounded, care for
Ter cripples. She has counted her
osses. inventorled her possessions.
The past must bury its dead. To
morrow is for the llvlngs Today she
8 planning for the tomorrow. She
must repair her house, put 1t In or
Ter. To understand her work, to
now her plans, to feel her problem.
t Is necessary TO know her thoughts. 4
Unrest - frightening her. Fear Is
eeplng her from work. II is causing
er to worry. With all her soul she
; pleading to the rich and powerful
D become as little children again,
er children. She is telling them that
he fate OF the family Is at stake, that
hey must make concessions to their
iore unfortunate brothers. She Is
ryng TO make them understand that
hey are brothers. Many OF them
ave forgotten the relationship. When
he urges them to stop wrangling and
she Is pleading for their
Dmmon good. the family welfare. She
warning against the danger Of JUS
ce too long denied. OF unrest too long
ant up. She is translating the NUT
rings and mumbllngs OF the discon-
'nted. She knows the complaint In
ieir hearts, she sympathizes, she un7
erstands.
This was Europe as l saw her In
,r black rags arising from the war.
Copyright. 1899. Western Newspaper unlon)