, 1922-05-12
Stop Whining and Go to Work

EUROPEAN PROPAGANDA Away with it'll Let
Y these peoples shut their mouths, cease their sob
bling, for sympathetic effect, and go to work. The
United States was not responsible for the damnabie
war their degerate rulers, crazed with jealousies and
military rivafries, brought upon the world. Nor is
the United States, through any stretch of charity,
bound to furnish further means in finance or perpet-
nate conditions that are certain to produce other wars.
There is just one way for Europe to save herself and
that is to lay down the implements of war. stop her
eternal rag-chewing, pick up the tools of labor and
use them. An honest sweat from honest toll Is the
cure for what ais Europe.
If the money and energy and intellectual ingenuity
which are now being expended in propaganda in
America were diverted to the task of restoring Europe,
little help from outside would be needed. Apparently
propagandists put forth such general and supposedly
impressive phrases as disastrous position in which
war and peace have placed the world" greatest poIt-
ical and economical danger and greatest suffering"
European conditions is followed with the statement
that 'fhope now rests with America" as though it
depended upon one nation to save a dozen other NJ
tons that seem determined not to be saved.
Like the black sheep of an otherwise honored and
respected family, Europe pleads for more money.
Says the propagandist, Gas for Europe, her recovery
is impossible unless America supplies the money"
There is no assurance whatever that if more money
were added to the eleven billions already supplied to
Europe any of that money would be used for restora-
ton of the industries of peace. We hear pleas that
America must send more food to Russia. notwithstand-
ing the fact that Russia has greater food producing
possibilities tian any other nation on the face of the
globe. Europe continues her ornaments, her agyres-
sions, her wars, and calls upon American to supply
the food and money.
No %prodigal son was ever reformed by supplying
him with money while stiIl pursuing his prodigal ways.
The repentant ~prodigal, returning to useful work and
habits of thrift, has seldom failed to receive assist
ance. If Europe will not turn from her evil ways
and once more engage IN useful production, no amount
Of money supplies or promised by America win give
the civilization of that continent
The fact is that the situation IN Europe is not nearly
so bad as represented. as proved by the rapid i'm
lprovement in foreign exchange. There is no reason
why Europe should not return at once to productive
industry, if the peoples of the several nations so de-
sire and are willing to make the effort. So long as
propagandists hold out assurance that Ultimately
America win Supply the money! there is no prospect
that Europe will turn from its debauch. The United
States can probably do nothing better for Europe
than reassert, at every opportunity, its determination
to keep out of European affairs so far as govern
mental action is concerned, but leaving Individual
= Americans free to enter into such commercial and
industrials relations with Europeans as the conditions
of each transaction may justify.