San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-14

and that's why so many Americans
after peering behind the scenes. shake
their heads obviously, pack their lug
gage and thank God for the Atlantic
ocean. At best this is a superficial
conclusion because Europe cannot at
tempt suicide again as she did in
1914 without injuring the economic
prosperity Of the American people.
The preacher who abandons his pulpit
just because most OF the people before
him are sinners would not be adjudg-
ed q disciple of Christian endeayor.
The undying spirit of the crusader
moves him 10 preach morality whether
he gets results Ct once-or perhaps
never. There is something at least
TO have tried.
Europe needs more than anything
else a voice Of reason and not a threat
OF American power or an extension
Of funds. Europe must Of course be
ultimately refinanced by American pri-
vate capital. in other words. by Ame-
rican investors. but that Europe does
not realize is that the day OF that
achievement will be subject TO indef-
mite postponement so long as Ameri-
cans do not have confidence in Eu-
rope.
And what is Europe doing to win
American confidence? Little indeed.
For one thing there is no clear con-
ception of what Europe must do be-
fore American confidence can be gain
ed. Europe needs 4 cleansing of heart.
The camouflage of diplomatic notes
still hides the battle of motives. the
clash of financial and industrial in
terests. The commercial game which
helped so much TO plunge Europe in
battle nine years ago still goes on
through manipulated government
while Others look anxiously at their
babes in arms and wonder whether
they are raising more cannon fodder
for the great catastrophe that's CON-
ing within another five or ten years
if Europe continues its suicidal pace
OF today.
Exhaustion Can't Prevent War.
But can Europe fight so soon again
Isn't everybody exhausted? There is
no exhaustion of hate or greed. HUI
cry people grow desperate and fight
hardest when their backs are against
the wall. Central Europe has not yet
reached that point, but, goaded on,
it will soon begin TO disregard all gov
ernments and mistakenly seek to ac-
complish through anarchy what DEM
ocracy has failed to do.
France today stands in Napoleonic
domination of all Europe. The pres
ent French army is better than that
which the kaiser had in 1914. Three
thousand airplanes-the greatest air
fleet made by the hand of man-con-
trolls the air for the French. It's Ian
guage of coercion which has brought
Britain to a humiliating if not per-
picked state Of mind. Back of Pom
care is Foch and the French general
staff, the most powerful military m
stitution the world has ever known.
All the little countries of Europe,
Rumania. Poland. Czechoslovakia, Bel
GUM and Jugoslavia have ben armed
by France. The cry Of the French is
security" They have indeed achieved
it. Will they stop there?
1t is futile to talk about repara-
tons or what Germany can pay till
that question Of French motive is sat
istactorily answered. Certain sections
of the French populace would like to
see peace made. Others are dreaming
of commercial conquest. France and
Britain are drifting further apart
The opportunity of America is to
bring them together. President Cool
idge has an unprecedented chance TO
go down in history as the man who
made peace in the world five years
after the armistice that ended the
most terrible of all wars.