The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1921-12-09
Continued from last week,
The Meaning of Ratification.


lens of reconstruction and rehabilita-
ton of 1919, were huge and compli-
Gated. At this desperate stage she
looked at the Versailles treaty as her
chart and to America as the world
leader. Treaty ratification would
mean early peace and the disband-
ment of armies, the restoration of
mutual confidence and good will
among many peoples suspicious or
hostile towards each other, definite,
fixed, workable program of readjnst-
ment and reorganization by which ev-
cry people could be guided with sys--
tenn and certainty, Ratification would
mean clearly fixed boundry lines, the
permanent creation of new nations,
provision for fixing the German in
demnity, International disarmament,
and in brief gradual and general
transformation from war to peace
conditions, politically, financially,
commercially and industrially.
Europe stood at the forks of the
road in 1919; one lead to non-produc-
ton, idleness, starvation, disease, new
wars and governmental and business
chaos: while the other lead to condi-
lions of peace, general employment,
rapid production. stable government,
certain financial and commercial re-
covery. 1t was later to be seen Row
certain Republican politicians, by
their narrow, selfish and short-sight-
ed partisan politics, were destined to
send Europe headlong down the
wrong road.
Production Only Salvation.
The fact was generally recognized
.py in 1919 that if she was to save
hrseif all Europe must promptly go
"A j work and catch up with production.
Tfhis course would allay unrest, dis
courage bolshevism and disorder and
create a basis for sound business, fl
nance and credit at home and abroad.
Foodstuffs and raw materials, how
ever, were indispensable to the gen.
eral undertakine.a The United States
held the chief available supply of
each. The more enfeebled states of
Europe, having neither, cash nor COM
modities with which to buy from us,
must secure credit. from the stronger
nations before they would be able to
make aae1 ~ppreciable recovery.
The great economic organization Of
Europe, though badly dislocated, was
still functioning and capable of un-
limited production. Ample skilled la
Dor was everywhere available. The
power of country to recuperate
from the waste and devastation Of
war is phenomenal, if only the pro-
cess Of production can be kept con-
stantly active. In the light of all
postwar experience of the past, En-
rope, as viewed from the middle of
1919, If given outside cooperation and
acknowledgment at all reasonable,
could undoubtedly make satisfacto-
ry return towards normal within a
surprisingly short period. Would
some friendly or creditor nation, even
in their own enlightened self-interest,
lend helping hand? If so, Europe's
other problems, such as deflation of
currency, credit and prices, the bal
lancing Of budgets, support of the
foreign exchange and credit situa-
ton, would be greatly simplified.
Suitable aid could not be delayed if
this hercnleean task was to be sue
cessfulH accomplished. Europe must
at once move forward or backward.
Does any intelligass person doubt
that the United tS4tee, England,
France, Spain, Japan, Holland and
the Scandinavian countries could,
without serious burden, but in the end
with great profit, have co-operated to-
) gether in furnishing of the the neces-
sary credit and to those war-stricken
countries Of Central and Eastern Eu-
I rope, thereby assuring their gradual
economic rehabilitation? For these
Es}tronger nations thus to fail in such
morld crises would mean certain in
Tolstrial disaster in Europe and most
destructive reactionary Effects, such as
we now see, upon all other countries.
What happened at this passing juno
ture? In the summer of 1919 Europe
ard the world stood aghast when they
suddenly ylearned that America, to
whose leadership all the nations had
turned, was in the act of rejecting
The treaty providing for world peace,
abandoning practically all associa-
tlVilS anu itldllOilS WIFI OtilCt tOuif-
tries and pursuing a. strict policy Of
political and commercial isolation. As
this unbelievable possibility at first
gradually became a positive reality
and the United States deserted her
proud place at the head of the column
of all the nations of the earth-strug-
Cling as they were to preserve civili-
cation, to re-establish stable govern
ment and to restore economic order
from economic choas-and skulked
away, the war-weary peoples every
where gave way to despair. The peace,
the civilization and the rehabilitation
of the world must be subordinated to
narrow, selfish, sordid, vicious poll
tics in America.
Americas Policy of Isolation.
What were some of the unspeakable
consequences of this American policy
of Isolation" and of throttling world
peace? Europe, without leadership,
with the program of world peace
hopelessly handicapped, helpless, not
knowing which way to turn, stagger-
ed and reeled further back towards
bankruptcy, bolshevism, government
tai anarchy and economic choas. Nu-
merous wars broke out. The world
and America practically-has been
kept on a war footing for two years,
while large portion of Europe has
slipped towards utter ruin. Ameri-
can troops are still on the Rhine.
France in constant dread and sus-
pense, still has an idle standing ar
my of 100000 men, Poland 100000
and England $4,000.
German Preparations were deferred