Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1920-06-17

N8X2EIHNRkKM A' -
eNzE1SEs& partner in. the firm of ]. P, Nor
I:@Es% gan, seems more thoroughly quail
49, ssG$ fed than any other person in Amer
- lea to express an authoritative
opinion on conditions in Europe.
He has an extremely keen, clear mind. He is a
man of the largest affairs, accustomed by many
years of business experience to grasp the essen
tial details of complex situations. And on top of
his unusual personal qualifications as q trustwor-
thy observer and reporter, he has just, through
his position as head of an International organiza-
tion. had put in his possession the latest and CON-
pieteSt mass of nfOrmatio obtainable anywhere.
He is chairman of the board of governors and
therefore ex-oficio head of the League of Red
Gross societies which comprises all the Red Cross
societies in the world except those of the central
powers, and has just returned from the first con-
ference OF this organization, held in Geneva.
AT this conference the European situation was
the main object of consideration, and to give a
OASIS for discussion and action, experts were
Drought in from the field all over Europe and
their hrst-hand reports were received and exam
ined. The result was the composite picture OF
postwar Europe in the winter and spring of 1920
which Mr.. Dawson holds In his mind.
By fixed rule, Mr.. Dawson does not give inter
views TO individual representatives of the press,
nor write signed statements for individual papers.
He has not broken his rule in this instance. This
"h ANS DuL WHICH, hio uhh4uC ~"
ton as a source Of information was pressed on
his attention, he granted the Sunday World ac-
cess to his data, and what follows may be taken as
a substantially accurate and complete statement
OF the facts as he sees them. Its significance can
therefore hardly be overemphasized.
"The catastrophe" wrote Mr.. Balfour. chair
man Of the Council of the League Of Nations, to
the Red Cross conference at Geneva, SIS of I'M
exampled magnitude" and in the same communi-
ration rpfnrrnd to Ntba horrorc with which VIA
Faced" and stated they had reached appalling
proportions"
These are very strong expressions, coming
from a parsonage Of such standing. They indicate
a recognition of disaster.
Is there any hope Of setting matters right? Can
Europe come back?" Or Is she bankrupt? The
present summary of known facts will be an at
tempt TO Indicate an answer to that question.
At the outset it is necessary to clarity the sit
nation by making certain distinctions. Europe
stretches over 100000 square miles. It's people
humber 46O,000.000, more than a quarter of the
globes estimated population. Furthermore, at
present Europe as a unit is non existent. if it ever
existed. 1t has been split by the war into various
groupings, in which conditions widely differ.
The %neutrals, unravaged Spain, Switzerland.
Denmark, Norway and Sweden, with over 10000
JO population, constitute one group. Defeated
Germany and Austria form another, Russia is a
third. The big Four" of the European allies
England, France Italy and Belgium-are another.
AND the less stabilized countries of the central
and eastern regions are a fifth. Between these
groups conditions vary greatly, and this must be
keDt In mind in considering whether Europe is
solvent or bankrupt.
About our principal allies in the west there is
no question. They are strongly going concerns
still, and. despite their own distress, are doing
their best to pull their n~eighbors out of the Slough
Of Despond. The French peasant Is working, and
the French artisan, despite a sad need Of raw
materials, has not lost his habit of industry and
thrift. The encouraging fact about France today
Is that her people are fully alive to the serious
less Of her problem and are going forward brave
" to solve 1t.
Italy, too, despite her great shortage Of raw
material. is looking forward. not backward, led
by one of the great men produced by the war, Mr..
Nitti. He is a truly wise statesman, and under
his leadership italy can be relied on to do her
part by herself and her neighbors. Belgium, as
might have been expected, Is strongly on the mend.
and England is meeting her problems Of recon
%struction with quiet courage and sturdy common
sense. She is doing each days work, and at the
same time rendering all assistance her resources
will permit to the countries on the continent.
Belgium and France and Italy and England
are asking no charity of the United States. Their
peoples are as prouu as we are-eager as we are
to work out their own national destinies and car
ry on their own businesses. They seek only the on.
portunity to regain their economic strength. And
these countries have a population of 125. 100000
Combining them with the 100000 neutraIs. II
appears that about a third Of the people of Eu.
rope could not be referred to as bankrupt. Some
of them are in serious difficulties, but they have
plenty of hope left, as well as energy, for the
tasks of reconstruction.
This distinction drawn, and it being under.
stood that Germany, because her problems are SC
peculiar to herself, is left out Of the discussion
1t is not too much to say that in all the rest oil
Europe-excepring, possibly. Russia, about which
reports are Observation-Disclosures has broken
down. For something like 2O0,000,O00 people,
disease, bereavement and suffering are presenl
n practically every household, whue food ant