The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-07-15
AMERICA SHOULD TAKE
THE LEAD IN THE EAST

Chautauqua, N. Y, July 12.-(By
Associated Press).-America should
accept her present magnificent op
portunity for leadership in the Near
East and not take shelter behind a
plea for isolation, DIR. Arthur E.
Boston said to large audience of
American club women gathered at
Chautauqua.
"Our home problems are not so
complicated and difficult" the speak
er declared, "that we have not enough
strength, enough money or enough
men and women to continue our in
fluence and our leadership where it is
so much needed and so much desired" !"
DIR. Boston, who is president of the
Chautauqua Institution, was address
sing the biennial convention of the
General Federation of Women's Clubs
His speech had to do with a recent
trip through Europe and the Eastern
Mediterranean. He dwelt at length
upon the high estimation in which
Americans are held in the Near East,
and praised the work of the Young
Mems Christian Association, the
Young Women's Christian Associat-
ion and the American Relief Admins
tration.
Referring to the political situation,
Dr. Boston said:
"There are certainly many reasons
for pessimism. As yet there is no
peace in Europe or in Asia. Every
where one sees military establish
ments and great numbers of soldiers.
Then there is the loss of men and of
productivity. In the Lebanons alone
over 100000 people died of starvation
and typhus and other results of the
war. One-half of all the males in
Siberia between 18 and so died dur
| ing the war. Everywhere there are
untitled fields and devastated areas
| because men are not available for
their cultivation and their clearing
There is everywhere universal debt
and men and women wonder not
whether they will ever be released
from these burdens but whether
their children may ever expect to be
free. There are drastic tariff bar.
riers everywhere. Except in Eng.
land there is hardly balanced bud
get in any country which was engag.
led in the war. There are difficulties
over reparations. The exchange is ir
such a chaotic state that it is either
so high that no one can buy from you
or so low that you cannot buy from
Ianyone else. Yet there are 100, 600,
900 people in Europe who must live
by the export trade. When one an
alyzes and reviews these condition:
there is every reason for feeling Of
Encouragement and pessimism fol
the immediate outlook. But this i:
lonly one side of the picture. Thert
are many indications Of a sincere de
lsire to find a better way of settling
these difficulties between nations ant
lpeople. These people are weary O
war and of economic struggles. The!
lsineerely want peace and the oppor
Itunity of working out their political
social and economic salvation"
The speaker then explained VIII.
Great Britain and France, in his opin
ion, could not give education and in
spiration to this part of the world AM
keep order in these unsettled areas
and he laid emphasis on the idea tha
he was not advocating mandates fo
the United States.
"But Europe has confidence in tn
unselfishness and good faith of Amer
ica," DR.. Boston went on. "Our posit
ion in the world is now recognized a
it could not possibly have been recog
nized in 1914 1t is true that the wa
, could not have been won without u:
We are recognized as the one natio
!, which is disinterested and unselfsl
We have no quarrels with any othe
nations. no harmful ambitions, no i'm
tP~1AedahS1A dc tiidl "OId cISH1 " OC oS
fined, and no fear of any other natior
+. We should participate in all matter
. connected with the settlements i
. Europe and the Near East because c
our peculiarly favorable position; be
cause of our disinterestedness and be
cause of our tremendous investment
i in educational enterprises and mi:
: lsionary endeavors There can be n
return to normal conditions withor
participation and there can be no n
. iconstruetion without u.s."