, 1923-03-13
Still Purveying Bunk

RECENT ADORE by Henry NJ organthau
a widely known Wilson Democrat and League
OF Nations partisan, contained this statement:
If the United States had entered the League of
Nations France would not be in the Ruhr today"
All European nations, with the exception of
Germany are in the League of Nations. There
fore, Mr.. Morganthau's statement, if it means
anything, means that the United States would
have been able to accomplish what mono of tbe
nations, or all of them together in the league were
not able TO accomplish. This checks it I'D to
the United States. To say that had it been in the
League of Nations, France would not now be in
the Huhr is to say that one of the following three
things would have been done by the United States:
a 1t would have guaranteed France the pay
ment of the indemnity she seeks from Germany.
That is, the United States would have paid the
indemnity itself by underwriting the German
promise to pay This would have necessitated
raising money in this country by the issuance of
bonds for which the American people would have
been taxed and these bonds, or the money there
from, turned over TO France in lieu of the money
she was unable to collect from Germany.
% France would have been guaranteed security
from future attacks from Germany by a military
alliance with the United States. This is what Pres.
ident Wilson attempted to have done, going so far
as to bring a treaty to that effect to this country
and asking that it be ratified by the United States
senate.
(3) Franco would have been told by the United
States that she had collected enough; that Ger.
many had paid all that she could pay and ought
TO pay. and had Franco attempted to enter the
Ruhr she would have been opposed by the military
forces of the United States.
These are the only three eventualitics that could
navy RtBb idntp Oub u IL Nul Hnlc1 one oil
these three solutions, if any, would the people of
the United States stand for? The answer is OBJ
vious. They would have stood for none of them.
Mr.. Morganthau's assertion is a sample of the
silly talk that is going on continually. 1t is a
sample of the vicious propaganda that is being
circulated through the press and from the pulpit
and platform; some of it shrcwdly by those who
have full knowledge of its deception and mischiev-
GUS effect; some of it stupidity by those who, par
~rot-like, repeat what some one else tells them with
out knowing what it means or what effect it will
have.
Out of the flood Of propaganda urging the Unit
ed States TO do something TO help Europe what
concrete suggestion or plan has been offered other
than ono which necessarily involves the employ
ment of our military and naval strength, the can
collation. of billions of dollars due this govern
ment and tho loaning of billions more? Not my
thing. Yet either one or all three of these would
mean the taxpayers of the United States shoulder
ing the financial burdens of Europe and maintain
ing at their expense sufficient military and naval
forces TO enforce the advice offered to Europe by
this country.
Talk about Europe needing our moral support is
plain buncombe. Europe may need it, but Eu-
rope does not want il. The plain truth is that
repeatedly refused within the last two years Eu.
1t has refused to give heed to our advice ms to
what should be done to correct the deplorable
situation in which European countries find them
selves. What each European nation wants OF this
country is that we exercise our power to take the
part of that nation in the perpetual ENVIRONMENTS
that are going on in the European continent. There
can be no doubt OF this. There is no attempt upon
the part Of any European country TO conceal the
fact.