The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-06-23
"Cross Crossings Cautiously"
America Should
Accept lie ,dership

Chauuauqua, N. Y, June 2l.-Am-
erica should accept her present mag
nificent opportunity for leadership
in the Near East and not take shelter
behind mistaken plea for isolation,
DIR. Arthur f. Bestor today said to
large audience of American club
women now gathered together at
Chautauqua.
Our home problems are not so
complicated and difficult" the speak
er declared, that we have not enough
money or enough men and women to
continue our influence and our lead
ership whele it is so much needed
and SO much desired"
DIR. BeStor, who is president Of
the Chautauqua Institution, was ad-
dressing the biennial convention of
the General Federation of Women's
Clubs. His speech had to do with
recent trip through Europe and the
Eastern Mediterranean. He dwelt at
length upon the high estimation in
East, and praised the work of the
Young Mems Christian Association,
the Young Women's Christian Asso-
citation and the American Relief Ad-
ministration.
Referring to the political situa-
ton, DR.. Bestor 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 starva-
ton and typhus and other results of
! the war One-half of all the males in
Serbia between 1S and 60 died dur
ing the war. Every where 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 barriers
everywhere. Except in England
there is hardly a balanced budget in
| any country which was engaged i'm
the war There are difficulties over
reparationS. The exchange is in 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 any
ne else. Yet there are 100 900 900
people in Europe who must live by
he export trade. When one analyses
and reviews these conditions there is
every reason for feeling Of dis
engagement and pessimism for the
immediate outlook But this is only
one side of the picture. There are
many indications of a sincere desire
to find a better way Of settling these
difficulties between nations and peo-
plies. These peoples are weary of
war and of economic struggles. They
sincerely want peace and the Oppor-
tunty of working out their political,
social and economic salvation"
The speaker then explained why
Great Britain and France, in his opin-
ion, could not give education and in
spiration to this part Of the world
and keep order in these unsettled
areas, and he laid emphasis on the
idea that he was not advocating man
dates for the United States.
But Europe has confidence in the
unselfishness and good faith of Am
erica" DR.. Bestor went on. "Our poi
sition in the world is now recognized
as it could not possibly have been
recognized in 1914. 1t it true that
the war could not have been won
without us. We are recognized as
the one nation which is disinterested
and unselfish We have no quarrels
with any other nation, no harmful
ambitions, no Imperialism as that
word ought to be defined, and no fear
of any other nation. We should par
ticipate in al matters connected with
the settlements in Europe and the
Near East because of our peculiar
favorable position; because of our
disinterestedness and because of our
tremendous investments in education
al enterprises and missionary en-
dcavorS. . Europe and Asia are al
most as indispensable to US as we
are to them. There can be no return
to normal conditions without our
participation and there can be no re-
conjunction without us