The Snowflake herald., 1920-05-28
Only Three Ways to Help Europe.

pies from the outside world. One is
oy payment, one by credit, and the
thlrd IS by exchange of commodities
II these peoples tried to buy materials
ana supplies in America at the pres
eht market value of their currencies.
austria would have to pay forty times
the original cost, Germany thirteen
6lmes, Greece just double. Czecho, Slo-
Vskla fourteen times and Poland fifty
times. These figures are Official and
are 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 nave 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 manufac-
tured products, they would have some
thing to tender the world in return
for its raw material. Food and medi.
cine. But if they have neither money
nor credit, how are they to take this
tlrst great step towards redemption?
One-half of the world may not eat
while the other half starves. How
long do you believe the plague Of ty-
phuS that is taking a hideous death
toll in Esthonia and Poland and the
Ukraine and eating along the fringes
OF Germany and Czecho- Slokavia will
confine itself 10 these remote lands?
Only last Saturday our health com
missioner of New York, DIR. Copeland,
sailed for the other side just to meas
ure the danger and take precaution
aga.ns such an invasion.
This is one menace at our threshold.
The other more threatening, more ter
rlble, is the menace of the worlds i'll
Will We can afford to die, but to be
despised forever as a greedy and phar-
isaical alton is 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 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 up
on to do her part.
Al,
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 I have been asked
many times, "What would you do?" l
an glad 10 give my own answer.
Accordingly, l would ask
/ That Congress Immediately pass
a bin approprating a sum not to eX-
coed $500 100000 for the use of Cen /
tral and Eastern Europe.
2 That Congress call upon the
President to appoint a non-polticai
commission OF three Americans, dis
tinguished for their character and eX-
ecUtiye ability, and commanding the
respect of the American people. Such I
a commission should include men of
the type of General Pershing, Mr.. +
Hoover, or ex-Secretary Lane. | would
invest that commission with complete
power.
g. | would have the commission in
structed to proceed at once, accompan- I
led by proper personnel, to survey con- I
ditionS in Central and Eastern Europe, I
and then act for the restoration of /
those countries under such conditions I
and upon such terms as the commits I
sion itself may decide 10 be practical /
bic and effective. Among the cOndi-
tiOnS should be provided that there
should be no local interference with
the free and untrammeled exercise by I
the commission of its own prerogatlye
of allocating materials. Governmental
politics should be eliminated, unreason
able and prejudicial barriers between
the various countries should be re-
moved and such substantial guarantees
as NAV be available should be eXacted
in order that the conditions imposed
should be fulfilled
4. AS to financial terms, l should
make tueil IIDcEdl. L WOulu OIIdl sc hO
interest for the first three years, for
the next three years, 6 per cent, with
provision that such interest might be
funded if the economic conditions of
the country were not approaching nor
NAL, or if its exchange conditions were
so adverse as to make payment unduly
burdens0me | should make the matur-
ity of the obligation fifteen years from
its date and | should have no doubt as
to its final payment.
3. Immediately the plan was
adopted | would have our government
invite other governments in position
to assist to participate in the under
taking.
6. TO set forth completely my opin-
ion | should add that in the final in
structions the American people
through their government should say
TO the commission: 1--WE want you to
90 and do this job in such a manner
as after study you think it should be
done. This is no ordinary undertake