Evening star., 1923-07-06
america Must Be Europe's
Peace Angel, Says Underwood
Senator, Back From Ouerseas, Finds
Only Poverty Standing in Way of
General Outbreak of Var.

With Impoverished Europe. where
are now worth 100 cents. a track
meet for spectators and business
gamblers, and with governments
drifting, rather than BY intrepid
political courage aiming at some
definite goal, the United States must
take the lead among nations to es-
tablish permanent world peace.
This is the opinion of Senator
Oscar Underwood of Alabama. prom
inently mentioned as democratic
candidate for the presidency, given
turn from personal survey Of con-
ditions throughout Europe.
No Magic Wand.
There is no magic wand that can
be waved TO cure the ills that con-
front US in Europe" Senator Under
wood concludes. They are the
problems of the states abroad" The
province of this country, as he sees
it, is: .
advise. but We can have a policy-a
wise helpful policy-on each and
every one Of the problems in which
our home people are interested, and
we can pursue that policy IN an
for the ultimate peace of the world
and the prosperity of our people at
home"
1T is almost impossible for one to
clearly visualize the situation with
out coming in personal contact with
it from many different angles" Sem
ator Underwood explains. Some
things cannot be printed and many
things are never printed that go to
make up the kernel Of either the
political or business condition of a
country. But you can sometimes
feel the situation in the atmosphere
or You catch the drift from conversa-
tions that are not intended for pub
licity, but tell the truth in regard to
important facts.
Changes I'm Europe.
We have been engaged at home
in the consideration of important do
mestic questions. to the exclusion of
nearly everything else. We do not
realize that the Europe of today is
no more like the Europe Of 1918 than
the conditions of 1918 were like the
conditions of 1914, when the great
war began. Until that fact is firmly
hXed In the minds of the American
situation as 1T now exists and our
duty toward it.
Most of our people. like myself,
have failed to realize how exhausted
by war are many of the nations of
Europe both as to governmental
hnance and private endeavor. There
is hectic business development
along certain lines, but 1t more large
ly comes from the money of the busi-
ness gambler and profiteer, OF the
man who is endeavoring to get cur
rent money of doubtful value he has
80
visible property that will not vanish
over night. Before the great war
five French francs purchased an
American dollar.
1t takes about fifteen francs to buy
the same dollar now, and the ex-
change is continually fuctuatfng.
Before the war four German marks
exchanged for a dollar. Last winter
1t took about 10000 German marks
and recently an American dollar
would buy 100000 marks.
Rapid Drop OF Marks.
Before the war these 100, 900 marks
were worth $4,000. Today they are
of food and all kinds of property is
measured in this rapidly depreciating
currency. How can one expect to
find stable business conditions when
the measure of value is continually
fluctuating? There may be golden
opportunity for the speculator and
the business gambler, but there is
none for the man who tolls.
Stability Of government is almost
as uncertain and insecure as stability
Of finance In one European country
1T may be a near-revolution that
threatens, in another a change OF
ministry, but in either event the gov
ernment working under such condf-
tionS Is generally weak, ineffective
and drifting from day to day or
month to month without courage of
conviction and without effective pol
Icy for the future.
Lack Definite Goal.
"They drift in an effort to save the
face Of the government rather than
won by political courage with a def
mite policy. What does this mean to
US? That, of course, depends some
what on our own attitude toward
ourselves. I shall assume that the
American people have not forgotten
what they promised their God If the
boy was permitted to return home OF
what they told the soldier when he
left home to die on the battlefields OF
France or for what they fought.
believe that the American people In
their heart Of hearts still believe
that the sacrifices of the war were
in vain IL they do not lead to the
ultimate peace Of the world.
There are more causes of war ex.
isting in Europe today than there
were in January, 1914. They may not
ioduce war. Let us hope with all
our hearts that this may prove to be