Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-05-17
DAWSON PLEADS
FOR s500,000,000
HEAD OF RED CROSS WANTS
AMERICA TO LOAN HUGE.
SUM TO EUROPE.
BALTIC STATES
NEED ASSISTANCE
NEED ASSISTANCE
in Vast Region Menaeed
by War, Pestilenoe and Starvation
Dawson Appeals to Methodist
Conference to Urge Congress to
Loan Vast Sum to Save People.


Dawson. Of ]. p. Morgan & Co.,
chairman Of the board Of governors
OF the league Of Red Cross societies.
told the general conference of the
Methodist Episcopal church here to-
day that zone Of the most terrible
tragedies In the history of the human
race Is being enacted within tho
broad belt OF territory lying between
the Baltic and Black and the Adri-
attic seas" In this arear are the new
Baltic states. Poland, Czecho-Slo-
vakiA Ukraine, Austria, Hungary,
Roumania, Montenegro. Albania and
Serbia
Mr.. Dawson asked that congress
appropriate not exceed
ing $b00.oo0.ooo for the use OF the
countries Of central and eastern Eu-
rope. He requested that congress
call upon the president to appoint a
non political commission of three
Americans, distinguished for their
character and executive ability, which
should proceed at once to survey the
conditions In these countries and to
allocate materials to them without
interference and by exercise of its
own prerogative. He suggested for
members of the commission men Of
the type OF. General Pershing, Her.
bert Hoover and former Secretary
Franklin K. Lane. He said that he
had no doubt that the obligation
would be repaid and suggested 1t
should run for fifteen years.
He urged also that the United
States invite other governments in a
position to assist and participate in
the undertaking, and declared:
Il am confident that our action
would be followed by the govern
ments OF Great Britain. Holland, the
Scandinavian countries, Spain and
Japan. and that France and Belgium
and Italy. notwithstanding their loss
es. would helpsto the best of their
ability
Figures Staggering.
The sum suggested by Mr.. Dawson
for appropriation by congress ex.
ceeds the total Of oil the Red Cross
has expended In the war ana since,
which Is placed by him at approxi-
mately $4oo. 100000. Compared with
the $5oo.ooo.0o0 asked for by Mr..
Dawson. the Belgian relief. fund
would be but drop in bucket.
Mr.. Dawson said he was custos
dian OF authoritative reports "re-
cordinE appalling conditions among
millions OF people living in eastern
Europe" 81 believe" he said, shat
the apathy and indifference which
prevail today are due alone to the
fact that American people have not
grasped the dreadful facts.
The reports which come to us
make 1t clear that in these war-ray-
ished lands civilization has broken
down, men, women and children are
dying by thousands and over vast
once-civilized areas there are to be
found neither medical appliances nor
medical skill sufficient to cope with
the devastating plaques"
Summarizing these reports, Mr..
Dawson said that one Of the worst
typhus epidemics in the worlds his
tory now existed among the Poles
who were threatened with wholesale
starvation this summer: that typhus,
influenza, smallpox or tuberculosis
existed in Czecho- Slovakia, Serbia,
Roumania and the Ukraine, and that
there was lack OF medicine, soap and
physicians to combat these diseases.
He pointed to the menace OF typhus
"at our Threshold" and asked how
long before it might creep to our
own shores"
He contrasted this with the con-
dition in the. United States, where.
he said, plenty abounded, and asked
II the conditions were. reversed
whether Americans would not ex-
claim against the heartlessness of
Europe. I'VE can afford to die."~he
said. but to be despised forever as
a greedy and pharisaical nation is a
fate we must not incur"