The Washington herald., 1921-10-30

Or. Nansen's proposal that the Eu-
ropean governments be asked TO
consider the question Of credits 70
Russia for fighting the famine. has
called forth the strongest criticism
from such sections of the European
press as regard the saving OF lives
of Russian people as humane
and not a political question It Is,
of course, realized the negative pol
icy OF the league in this matter was
dictated bS- the entente govern
ments which hold that the Soviet
government must recognize the
debts incurred by the preceding
Russian governments before the
question of new credits can be con-
sidered. The point Of view Of those
who regard this attitude Of the en-
tente powers as being untustifiaole
Is illustrated by an editorial In the
Manchester Guardian Weekly, which
discusses at length DR.. Nansen's
speech In the league assembly and
the whole question of relief to Rus
STA by Europe.
Concerning the magnitude Of the
Russian disaster. this paper says:
The occasion at Geneva last week
was the refusal of all the greater
powers of Europe to do what mas
70 be done TO prevent some 2o.oo0,Ooo
Russian peasants Of all ages from
dying ofnhunger and exposure dur
ing the next few months. The deaths
which II has been decided not to
avert are likely to be about three
times as numerous as the total
deaths Of soldiers in all the armies
on both sides during the great war.
They are expected to exceed by
sorne 5000, 900 the total loss Of SOL
diers' and civilians lives caused by
the war, II we put at 100000 the
number Of ArmenIans. Syrians, Jews.
Creeks rnassacred or starved by the
Turks; at another 100000 the ex-
ira Influenza and pneumonia NOR
tality induced by the war; and at
900 900 the Serbian non-comba-
tants put TO death by exposure, dis
ease, or massacre. DR.. hansen Of
fers q conservative estimate where
he foresees in the impending mas
saere BY hunger and, cold, the
greatest horror In history. Europe
has never known Anything ap-
preaching the vastness of the NOR
tality now imminent, and II Is GER
tain to be remembered through all
human history as distinctly as the
great war will be remembered
among wars or ancient Rome among
imperial cities"
In the course Of his speech. DR..
Nansen referred to the grain crop
In Canada which Is SO good that
she will be able to export three
times as much as Is necessary TO
rneet the difficulty caused by the
famine in Russia" and In the United
states where wheat Is decomposing
IN the farmers stores because they
cannot ind purchasers for the sur
plus" and In the Argentine where
"maize IL lying in such abundance
that they cannot get rid OF IT. and
IL Is being used as fuel In locomo-
tives, because that Is the only way
in which they can use It." Between
Europe and America there are ships
lying idle and in the east Of Europe
10000, 900 or 100000 people are
starving to death" The Manchester
Guardian makes this comment on
the situation pictured by the Nor
wegian statesman:
The world has never seen 90
murderous a human failure to take
the obvious means to a good end
as this dislocation between the
yastest and most pitiful demand
and the most affluent supply. All
that Is needed to bring together the
starving stomachs and the food
that Is overlooking and running to
waste Is that the Great Powers
should either frankly give or else
lend on the security, whatever 1t
may be worth. Of a government
(which, however, were not of its
own contracting), a sum OF some
f5,oO0,ooO between them. Call II
giving-no part Of the case for be-
ing either a Christian or a humane
man rests on the Soviet govern
ments credit; assume that we
shall never see II again, that II
will be I'VE more millions gone in
to the sink where our seven hun
dred millions went during the Tsar-
dom The question was whether
all the allies who engraved on
their Joint war medal the great
war for civilization were to daub
our nrst years OF rescued civili-
ration with the dishonor OF grudg-
ing a joint dead loss of 1--WE million
pounds 10 themselves as the price
Of twenty million European lives,
DR.. Nansen strove with them till
the going down Of the sun to avert
this collapse and qualification of so
much honorable pride and so many
real sacrifices. But the powers were
not to be moved: they were con-
cerned, they wished Russians no
harm, but still there were reasons
Of state to be minded as well as
these innocent persons: besides,
what was the truth about
Russia? Every detail of Pilates
attitude was theirs too, and the
new Russian Cavalry will have
everything traditional and regular
about f."
The Manchester Guardian has never
been In sympathy with the present
government of Russia, but 1t has
little sympathy with those who for
one reason or another fail to com
prehend the real meaning in hu-
man suffering OF the Russian
catastrophe. Those who are striv-
ing to prevent aid being given to
the starving millions are charac-
terized in these words: There Is
the luckIess investor who put hi.
money into the bonds Of the Tsars
has since had his debt repudiated
by the Soviet, and wants us 70
mark our sense OF his wrongs by
letting twenty million Russians
who had nothing to do with his
bonds, starve to death now. There
Is the cunning little political
dodger who makes out that II we
saved the twenty millions from
death the Russian government
which none Of US admires. would
be IN less Of q nx than It would II
we let them all die. There is the
upper or middle class man with nc