New-York tribune., 1920-03-01
Sign Treaty,
Bishops Urge
Upon Return
Methodist Episcopal Dig
nitaries, After European
Survey, See Need for
Immediate Ratification
Country Needs Credit
People Are Anxious to
Work, but Lack Necessary
Materials, They Declare

Bishop William Burt, of Buffalo. and
Bishop William 0. Shepard of Wichita.
both of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
who went abroad in November to make
religious and political survey of
Europe, returned yesterday via Liver
pool on the White Star liner Cedric
convinced that America should sign tho
peace treaty at once.
They were part of committee the
Methodist Episcopal Church sent across
the Atlantic to study conditions and
distribute moneys to needy women
and children of the central empires.
Throughout their trip the clersymcn
SAID they were we'll received, par
ticularly in Germany, Austria and Hun
gary. where large part of their funds
were distributed on non-scctarian
basis.
'. president Ebert of Germany and
PRESIDENT Seitz of Austria accorded them
tnusual courtesics, they said. and put at
'nen dlsposal all the information de-
slred Tor their report. Berlin received
from the committee contribution Of
2oo,Oo0 marks, and 100000 kroner was
'distrlbuted in Vienna and Budapest
Peoples Confidence Gone
Bishop Burt expressed the belief that
the conquered peoples of Europe had
lest confidence with the disorganization
or their governments, and that relg-
lcus. political and industrial stability
could not regain its balance until the
United States government has adopted
well defined foreign policy that will
enable the various nations to obtain the
aid they need
"ln order that conditions in Europe
become stabilizcd,' said Bishop Burt,
we must quit lying and tell the truth.
While | believe in using diplomacy in
dealing with foreign countries, do
not believe in the theory which aims
for efficiency through duplicity. Eu-
rope looks to the United States for
help in getting back to working basis.
Unless she gets it bad coalitions will
become worse.
The key to the situation is the
square deal. We must clearly state the
ideal toward which we are working
then work steadily toward it, What
Tor. This must be the thing we fought
tor - democracy. Open, aboveboard,
sincere, we must make our idealism
as practicable as possible in our com
mercial and political relations with
these people.
Europe Must Get Credit
Europe needs raw materials to work
with and credit must be arranged in
some instances. Nothing is more detri-
mental to the people in most Of Cen
trail Europe than to be anxious to work
and have nothing TO work with"
Bishop Burt said he thought the
peace treaty should have been made
within q few months after the end of
the war. AS conditions exist to-day he
said he believed the treaty should be
signed
Bishop Shepard said the chaotic con-
ditions existing in Europe are largely
due to TIE breakdown of transportation
systems and other means of communi-
cation. Newspapers, he said have
smaller circulation than before the
war and are smaller in size.
The telegraph systems also are de-
moralizcd, and from ali these con-
trlbuting causes the peoples Of Europe
arc cut otf from one another and are
suspicious of one another.
"Thc head Of things" he said, "was
swept away with the ousting of the
ruling class. The people will have to
learn things over again.
Germany Seen Greatest Winner
"President Ebert OF Germany has a
stupendous task in reorganizing the
German government. He is an able
man and sincere, but he is without a
great deal of experience in government.
President Seitz of Austria is a capable
man OF much greater experience than
Ebert. The Prime Minister Of Hun
gary is a man Of the common people"
In summing up their impressions of
European conditions both bishops ex-
pressed the belief that the man or ma
tion which tells the truth and holds out
for right will be the ultimate victor
of the war They predicted that Ger
many through her defeat had learned
humility and for that reason might be
the biggest winner.
Another traveller on the Cedric was
a. S. Cochrane, Of this city, who went
abroad three months ago in search of
health in southern France.