Evening star., 1923-08-13
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.


NEW YORK, August 13.-The situa-
tion in Europe is almost as incredible
as Il was in August. 1914.
with genuine misgivings, might one
ask: Have the nations of Europe gone
cfaZy again? Are they determined to
hegin anew years of organized mur-
der and challenge again the capacity
OF the white man to develop Chris
ttan civilization?
sFor the facts of Europe are SORROW
fhl and pitiable. Seeing first hand tho
Night of Europe is the only way
really to grasp what dangerous
situation for all the world is being
bred there. Americans returning
ftom the continent utter prayers of
thanks that the United States is 1000
miles away, and some of them come
back confirmed in their beliefs that
America ought not get itself mixed
up in the Cuarrels or troubles of Eu-
rope. Scores of senators and members
OF the House, business men and casual
observers feel that way about II.
Never has Europe been so thoroughly
studied" as this summer by the
Thousands of tourists an.l political
pilgrims
But 1t is one thing to turn cold
shoulder to distracted Europe be-
cause the situation is dfstasteful-
nothing could have been more dis
tasteful than the events that prompt
ed America to enter the war in 1917
land it is another thing to look
with eyes of sympathy and speak
logic TO the European peoples. For
Europe is more to be pitied than
seorned.
America Not Understood.
ain such a situation American
silence, American aloofness. American
caution can easily be mistaken for
the timidity of seltishness. Despite
all that has been said since the peace
conference. the fact is Europe does
not understand America. Bewiidered
first by the miraculous transport of
two million men to rescue the allied
cause. the same peoples cannot grasp
the reason for sudden crawling into
the she'll without so much as a kind
look.
There is. however more sane
thought about Europe in America
than there is in Europe itself Amer
ica can help to lead Europe out of the
wilderness when the right time
comes. When the foundations have
been built by the Europeans them
selves. First there must be a will
TO get together and agree upon facts.
Never was there sucn a mixture of
motives, prejudices, hatredS and sus-
ptciCn with what one would Ike 10
call acts except that there are no
such things in Europe today
NO two nations agree. for instance
upon what Germany capacity to
pay reparations can possibly be- No
TWO factions in Germany can agree
on it. either. and as for Great Britain,
one needs only TO read half the Brit
lsh press and see how terribly mill
taristic and grasping France has got
ten all of a sudden and turn to the
other section OF the British press and
discover how surprisingly pro-Ger-
man the British government is ac-
cused of behaving. Nor is France
without discussion, though it must
be said in candor the French people
are more of a unit in their policy
Of Keeping Germany from getting on
her feet than is any other country in
Europe.
ObstructionS to Facts.
You cannot find agreement be-
tween the many countries as to what
Germany has already paid or what
she can pay. And there. is. unfortu-
nately. good reason to believe GER
tain interests in Europe do not want
any such agreement. They do not
want to be bothered by facts; they
want TO achieve certain aims
Behind the scenes of diplomacy is
big business. Stretching eager hands