The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-09-13
cox RETURNS
FROM TRIP
TO EURPE
Democratic L e a d e r
Thinks the United
States Should Help
Stabilize Conditions

N, L.
ment of prosperity in the United
States must be given first place in
the thoughts of Americans and
must be the preface to discussion
of the entrance of this country
into European affairs and into the
League of Nations. declared James
NJ. Cox. former governor OF Chic,
and Democratic candidate for the
presidency at the last election. on
his return from Europe today on
the Paris. Mr.. Cox went abroad
to study Old World political and
economic conditions.
Discussing the issues in the
congressional elections this fall Mr..
Cox said that the international is
sue would be 1.-The failure of the
administration both In the moral
and 1nseIfish view. on the one
hand, and the practical and selfish
view on the other, to participate
in the affair OF the world" But,
he added. the matter of govern
mental association to promote.
peace must yield to the matter Of
establishing economic order in this
country.
Mr.. Cox said that, for the mo-,
mef1t. there was nothing pressing
in Gi1e question Of the League of
Nations. In Europe. he declared,
reparations and not the league is
the most important question now.
Preparations. Mr.. Cox declared
"is the one question in Europe to-
day, and America holds the key to
the reparations situation. If de-
cision is not reached, Germany will
collapse and With her will go Aus
tria. And # Germany collapses,
France will get nothing and will
be left in a sery bad situation
which Will endanger all Of Europe.
Eat the fall elections the admin
istration will have to answer for
its sins of omission and commits
sion. While the paramount issue
will be an Internal one, the do
mestic and international questions
can not really be separated. The
economic unit is t'te world, not any
one country. Part Of it is close to
collapse. America had a chance,
without invoIvenuents OF any kind,
to end the deadlock. stabilize Eu-
rope and ercare market for our
farms and factories. Declining
prices in Americas products is
largely due to the rejection Of this
opportunity"
Mr.. Cox sa.fl he favored suspen-
sion Of payment cf the inter-Allied
war debts. The Balfour statement.
he added. wes badly received in
England and did not express the
feelings OF the people.
England wants ,to pay US what
she owes" Mr.. Cox went on. II
should not be surprised if when
she does it, she then proposes that
all the remaining obligations to
the United states aad England be
cancelled
e"The league reeds no defenders.
The United States will become a
member Of it. of course. That is as
certain as the coming Of day, We
will come in. not only as mat
ire Of duty and service, but Of self
interest as we'll. We will enter
with a we'll formed and under
standing public opinion and then
the league Will cease &c be a polft-
icaI issue,
Germany, I was told by Presi-
dent Ebert, will enter the league
the day the United States does, but
she will not, for the present at
least join the league unless we do.
Just as soon rs the constitution
of the Irish Free State is fully rat
fled, Ireland will be represented
in the assembly of the League
Whatever condition America sees
fit to impose conscientiously. the
other members beyond ques-
ton will accept.
Mr.. Cox said that the unanimous
feeling among American travellers
abroad was one Of astenishment
that America was not finishing her
great work it had begun by par
ticipating in -he war.
This feeling. he declared, was
shared by Europeans.
When ] proposed that the Uni
ted States act rs mediator in the
reparations commission he stated
sthe idea created absolute enthu-
siasm in London and ,he continent
al capitals. I also mentioned the
idea of having Secretary Herbert
Hoover. who is universally known
and respected. ascertain accurate
ly G.armany's true state. his find
ings to be used by the reparations
commission. ps course this idea
was not proposed with the inten-
ton of interfering with the ad-
ministration Or with carrying on
it's affairs
The man who is as busy as a bee
usually lights on something