The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-04-09
Huue Problems of Reconstruction
Yet to Be Solved, but
Progress Is Made.
WOUNDS OF WAR ARE HEALING
To Casual Observers Distress May
Seem Incurabie, but Not So to ono
Of Long Experienee-Sisns
of Returning Order.


Vienna.-What is the position Oh
Central Europe2 Are conditions So
appalling that there Is no hopper are
the gloomy tales Of dark despair
poured increasingly into the eager ears
of travellers. who have an only TOO
human inclination to near the worst
an accurate reflection of the present
state and dependable forecast Oh the
future?
These are questions which even the
traveller must ask himself, and they
must 6ccur yet more pointediy TO tiie
mind Of the public, confused as II can
not help being by the conflicting &c,
counts OF superficial and haphazaro
observers who have some special PREF
udice to support, who are willing 10
sacrifice homely truth to the making
of a smart phrase. or who may De SIM
ply too strongly Influenced by nrst llli.
nressions without the background OF
extended experience necessary to give
them their comparative value.
Thousands in Want.
First impressions are always Vivlu
and they may also be accurate. III
so far as hasty glimpses into the me
nf Central and Eastern Europe tell
story of insufficient food and ciofhing,
oe lack of work, of the misery or
homelessness and Of the crudities OF
inexperience and ignorant govern
ments. no false ideas are created.
There can be no doubt of the immense
need of hundreds of thousands OF
| neople. hungry and cold through no
/ fault of their own, willing to work II
they have the chance. victims. in short
! of the great CONFUSION when tore
Europe into discordant parts as spring
bursts the smooth, solid ice OF rivers
into ragged, crunching cakes.
Humanitarian considerations and the
general good of the world demand tha'
these people should be succored. II i
abl,orrent to civilization that people
In one part of the world should wal
low in plenty at the same momen
that those in another part starve. !
is dangerous to let sore tester Whei
II may be cured by prompt and intel
ueent treatment. So the enlightened
world, In spite of stupid and cynica
criticism, will help these people ant
will aid with special willingness TIN
children and youth in whom lies tn
possibility of higher purpose and noble
aims than have actuated their elders
who are still linked to the cankere
past.
But to the listening world Their
seems TO come from these countrie
I only an unvarying wall and it wishe
10 know if this is to be without chang
n the end of time. There Is such
.. thing as becoming weary In weii-dt
ing.
Lona, Close Observation.
/ have had some opportunity
make comparisons and note change
and feel that I am in a position
answer, partly at least. some OF II
questions propounded at the beginnir
OF this article, says corresponds
of the New York World. first wei
into the Central. European region tn
years ago. only a few months aft
the armistice, and have either r
sided in or made trips to the varic'
countries at intervals ever since.
have talked with travellers who we
seeing conditions for the first tim
and I have noted the reactions NJ
judgments they have formed. The
value has depended on the inteliigen
and character of the observer himse
The conclusions have run through I
scale from fIppant exaggerntton
sensation mongers of non-typscal
stances to the mature reflections