The Mankato free press., 1922-06-23
NEAR EAST NEEDS
HELP OF AMERICA
NATION SHOULD TAKE THE
LEAD, SAYS SPEAKER
SITUATION IS RELATED
Work of the Y. M. g. A. and Y,
w. @. A. Is Being Greatly
Appreciated There.
lAssociated Press Dispatch ]


Chautauqua, N. Y. June IT,
America should accept her present
magnificent opportunity for lead
ership in the Near East and not
take shelter behind mistaken plea
for isolation, DR.. Arthur E. Bestor
today said to a large audience Of
American club women now gather
ed together at ChautauQua-
complicated and difficult" the
speaker declared, that we have not
enough strength, enough money or
enough men and women to continue
our influence and our leadership
where it is so much needed and so
much desired"
DR.. Bestor, who Is president of the
Chautauqua Institution was address
sing the biennial convention of the
General Federation of Womens
Clubs. His speech had to do with
a recent trip through Europe and
the Eastern Mediterranean. He
dwelt at length upon the high es-
timation in which Americans are
held in the Near East, and praised
the work of the Young Mems Chris
tian Association, the Young Wo-
mems Christian Association and the
American Relief Administration. :
The Political Situation I
Referring to the political situa
ton, DR.. Bestor said: There are
certainly many reasons for pes.
simism. AS yet there is no peace
in Europe or is Asia. Everywhere
one sees military establishments
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 re-
suits of the war. One half of all the
and sixty died during the war. Ev-
erywhere there are untitled fields
and devastated areas because men
are not available for their cultiva-
ton 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
in 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 50 low that you cannot
buy from anyone else. Yet there
are 100 100000 people in Europe
who must live by the export trade.
When one analyzes and reviews
these conditions there Is every rea-
ton for a feeling of 6fycouragement
and pessimism for the immediate
outlook. But this Is only one side
of the picture. There are many In
dications OF a sincere desire to find
a better way of settling these diff
culties between nations and peo,
Pies. These peoples are weary OF
war and Of economic struggles.
They sincerely want peace and the
opportunity of working out their
political, social and econemiC sal
vation."
Europe Has Confidence In America
The speaker then explained why
Great Britain and France, in his
opinion, could not give education
and inspiration to this part of the
world and keep order in these un-
settled areas, and he laid emphasis
on the idea that he was not advo
eating mandates for the United
States.
But Europe has confidence in the
unselfishness and good faith OF
America" DR.. Bestor went on. Our
position in the world is now re-
cognized as it could not possibly
have been recognized in 1914. 1t is
true Chat the war could not have
been won without US. We are re-
cognized as the one nation which is
disinterested and unselfish. We
have no quarrels with any other ma
ton, no harmful ambitions, no i'm
perialism as that word ought to be
defined, and no fear of any, other
nation. We should participate in all
matters connected with the settle
ments in Europe and the Near East
because Of our peculiarly favora BILE
POSITION; because of our disinter-
estedness and because of our trem-
endous investments in educational
enterpries and missionary endeav
ors. Europe and Asia are almost
as indispensable to us as we are to
them. There can be no return to
normal conditions without our parti-
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