The Washington times., 1922-10-03
EUROPE STANDS
ON RUIN 'SbR|NK
. AMERICANS SAY
Members Of Congressional
Party, Back From Austria,
Fear Crash of Civilization.
By WINDER r. HARRIS.
Universal Service.

grave situation in Europe and the
urgent necessity of something being
done quickly to remedy conditions"
was urged today by members OF the
Congressional delegation to the In
terparliamentary Union meeting in
Vienna.
Senator's and Congressman in
the party, who visited Germany,
France, Belgium and other Euro
pean countries, as well as Austria,
declared they, found actual danger
Of European civilization going to
smash
All the central European powers,
they said, appeared to be plunging
headlong to financial and economic
collapse. and when the crash comes
the civilization of that part Of the
world may be carried down with 1t.
Civilization. some Of the American
delegates said, Is well nigh gone in
Austria now.
But those who went over favor
ing the League of Nations came
back strongly convinced that the
path for the United States to help
lies not through the league. Some !
more practical form of assistance
than membership in this Don-
functioning organization must be
found. 1t was agreed.
Personnel Of Party.
In the delegation were Senators
Spencer. Ladd. Mckinley, Caraway |
and Harris, and Congressman Tenn |
pie, Burton, Oldfield and Montague. !
Congressman Temple, a member Of
the Foreign Affairs Committee and
for fifteen years a professor Of his
tory and political science. made a
special study Of conditions. particu
iarly the stories of German pros
perity. He said he found feverish
business activity, with all factories
running full blast and only 10000
unemployed in the whole country. |
But, he declared. II is a super
ficial activity, and there Is a "pe-
culiar reason for it,"
"When l arrived in Germany"
Congressman Temple said. II
bought 1000 marks for 81. Three !
weeks later I got 1900 for 81. The
German people are spending today
while their money will buy some
thing. rather than keep II a week
when II will buy only half as much
or perhaps nothing. Shoes and
clothing will keep, while money
drops.
before its value drops further
makes for feverish business aCtiv-
ity. There is no incentive to save.
Farmers who sell food to tho cities
are paying off their mortgages for
practically nothing.
Explosion Is Coming.
Building also is being carried
on extensively. Everybody who can
do so is building house. A hous"
| T..
But this feverish business aCtiN-
ity is certain to explode like soap
bubble. and II is certain that the
mark will continue to drop"
The Pennsylvania Congressman
did not find any evidence that the
German government or the German
people are purposely forcing down
the mark in the hope Of making
the allies believe they can not pay
the indemnity. 1t Is hard, he sug-
gested, to convict 65 100000 people
OF conspiracy.
Mr.. Temple explained that the
government probably is not strong
enough to collect the taxes neces.
sary to pay its expenses. So when
money is needed the presses are
started. AS more paper money goes
into circulation, the value of the
mark descends.
Kronen Not Worth Printing.
Austrian money. the Congress.
man stated. is not worth the cost |
| Of printing. An American dollar |
now is worth $4,000 kronen. A |
kronen before the war was wOhth |
approximately 90 cents. Now It is !
worth 1900 of a cent.
Congressman Temple met in vi
emma an American who told him |
of paying off a $4,000 mortgage. |
on a piece of property he had
| bought before the war. for 1912.
A university professor told Mr..
Temple of the case of a widow of !
a former high officer i'm the Aus.
| trian army. Before the war she |
had a pension of 10000 krOnen a |
year, which then amounted to
about $4,000. Now her pension is
equal to only 80 cents in American
money.