San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-02
BY EDWARD PRICE BELL

Albert ID. Lasker. former chairman
If the United States Shipping Board.
has returned from a month of travel.
ing in Europe with his creed Of Amer
lean isOlationism reinforced.
Europe must compose its quarralS
before We can be helpful to it," said
the merchant marine enthusiast to me
on the voyage from Southampton to
New York. I'VE should refuse even
to negotiate with the Europeans until
they agree not to disagree. All is fer
ment, turmoil. jangling. and imminent
conflict over there now; if We inter-
vened We should make confusion worse
COMPOUNDED.
Impartial judgments would not he
welcomed in Europe at this stage III
the war's aftermath. Protagonists Of
irreconcilable views want support
Britain wants US to support her,
France, her. Germany. her. If We
threw our weight for any one of them
we should make enemies of the Others
and progress not one foot toward Il
settlement. Europe is best left alone
with its troubles: peace will come
soonest in that way.
"Once our friends abroad have con-
WINGED themselves Of the folly of strife,
and have worked out a scheme of Ed
ropean amity and cooperation, We
can indorse their plans and join with
them in rebuilding the broken fortunes
of the world. No American states
man knows his way about in the laby-
rinth Of Europe. Its intricacies Of
history. psychology. religion. politics
and economics BATTLE Americans and
all but BATTLE Europeans. For us,
in this grave and delicate matter
discretion is the better part Of valor.
How Trade Is Restrained.
"Europe's economic restraints are
astounding. Let me give little IL
lustration of the general situation.
was at Basle, Switzerland, and want.
ed to see some customers of mine
across the border in Germany. j was
going TO Friedberg and wired my
friends to meet me in an automobile
at the Swiss frontier, six miles from
Basic. They were to pay $50 for the
car for the day and might just is
well have come-straight to Basic to see
me, but they were stopped at th5
frontier, and ] was compelled to pay
$3.50 for a taxicab to drive me cut
to them.
when l reached the dividing line
! found it closed with n gate fencs
such as we see at railroad crossings
My German friends were there. They
had got out of their car and were
leaning on the barrier that kept then
out of Switzerland.
Such are tine handicaps that lam'
all the intercourse of the European
| peoples. These customs baricade:
almost fatally construct the arteries ol
| the European economic life. and be
hind them develop and harden nation
alistic ambitions, prejudices, appre
tensions and antagonisms adverse L
general understanding and dangerous
TO peace.
Germany's Bad Condition.
"Germany's business conditions
seemed TO me to be about as bad "a
possible. So deeply was | impresse.
10 this effect that / said TO my Gus
toners, who owed me money, "'Obvi
ously you are in no shape to pay:
remit the debt; let us start anew.
My friends gave evidence of great lie
preston. We were motoring tower,
chain of hills. Are those hills il
Germany or in France" / inquired
The German by my side was gain
abstractedly ahead. and l notice.
tears running down his cheeks.
Those hills did belong to Ger
many he said. but they now belon
10 France
Well said I, when you look a
them do you regard them as belong
ing TO Germany or to France?"
Al do not look at them reptile
the German.
L am an isolationist," continue
Mr.. Lasker. a hint of the fightin
spirit in his dark eyes. 81 thin
those who believe with me will defca
any move TO involve America in I'll
wrangles OF Europe. Aloof we stan
and aloof we shall remain until FL
ropcan sanity and self-control off
tus an nnnnrfIInitY 70 work with II