Evening journal., 1922-12-14

Special to The Evening Journal.
' PARIS, Dec. e.-What happens in
a war-swept land when the invading
hosts have been rolled back ana the
native children OF the soil return to
their wrecked homes?
Modern warfare creates new
; aype Of wilderness. To the bleakness
N the Dakota bad lands II adds the
desolation of a desert-the whole
, scene made tragic by the fact that
gaunt memorials here and there
testify to the previous existence OF
happy, prosperous communities.
In the United States. the memory
OF reconstruction days still fingers.
And even after sixty years there are
eth reminders in the reborn South
; of the ruin that visited the Cumber
land and Shenandoah Valleys and
the devastation that stalked in the
way of Sherman's march to the sea.
The war between the States en-
tailed an economic handicap upon
the South, the extent OF which has
only recently become generally real
lied. How the South bravely faced
the problems of a ruined land is a
story that has been told-a story
that is the more appealing because
the difficulties of the struggle were
not appreciated until the opportun-
, tty to extend helping hand had
vanished.
The work Of economic reconstruc-
ton that always follows closely
upon the chariots OF Mars is, so far
. as the American people are concern
ed, a story told in terms OF condi-
tons that have ceased to exist. For
tunately, the American people have
been spared the necessity Of learn
ing anew. by personal experience.
the extent TO which the devastation
wrought by modern warfare trans I
cends the possibilities OF war as it
was waged sixty years ago. But, no
nation can grasp the significance Of
the economic tides now running
their course unless there is some |
realization of just what happens |
when a modern nation sets out 20 |
repair the damages wrought by /
modern war.
II is the purpose, therefore, in |
lnAh SERIES VI AAlAtoF ia ANAAF W
view some of the difficulties that
must be conquered, when the van
guards OF peace move into the
trenches and the rear guards OF war
have deserted. No region so epitom-
ICES these problems as France. be-
cause no other region has been so
completely devastated.
Familiar with the duties of rural
France in the pre-war days, l re-
visited that country in 1918. From
Belfort to Dunkirk and Calais, from
AIeaux to Lille, 1 searched and
searched in vain for the country
side I had loved in other days.
Although the violets and anem
ones springing from empty
trenches. shell holes and dugouts.
from fields Of barbed wire and
dead mems strange abodes. gave
promise of life and resurrection. the
trees still lay wounded and dead,
and tree stumps stood gaunt and
lifeless in the grey light Of dawn
and purple mist OF evening in that
va.t expense of empty ruin.
Three years passed by! In our
own country the president Of one Of
our great universities was still com
batting bolshevism in the student
the odds against him;
the murderers in a great coal mine
district were still unpublished;
enemy propaganda. better organized
than ever before. was gnawing at
the heart Of our American institu-
lions. What then could be expected
Of a dreary desolate. ward evsstatei
and2
Then. like a bolt from the blue,
zane the call Come back 10 France