Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1932-06-15
TELEPHONE NUMBER NINE
A NEW NOTE

For the past decade or so American readers have heard
their country assailed from abroad and from the interna-
tionaists at home as the cause of most OF the world
troubles. While it was generally admitted at the time that
we did not start the World War, it wasn't long before
we were being criticized for not entering it at once. After
we got in we were criticized because we didn't hurry
faster and raise more money. After the AImistice was
declared and the peace treaty drawn up, we asked for
nothing In the way OF PREPARATIONS or territory and got
nothing.
But the criticism did not end there. Nobody gave us
any credit as a nation for being unselfish. While other
victorious nations were grabbing all they could get, our
abstaining from the spells was not attributed to unset
fishness but to ignorance or hypocrisy.
Next came the episode of the international debts. We
were criticized from every angle and Uncle Sam was
painted in Europe as the modern Shylock among nations.
Altho we cut down the debts on the basis of the capacity
to pay, the criticism did not cease. We were asked to
destroy our tariffs and enter into the League of Nations
to help finance and arm Europe for the carrying out of
her political quarrels.
Then came the depression, and we have been criticized
because we have not ended it in some way or other. Inter
nationalist in Europe and America have declared that
America lacked world leadership and that it was our duty
to clean up the world of all the accumulated messes OF a
generation. We have been told time and again how much
we have been missing in the way Of world leadership by
refusing to join the League, cancel international debts,
and lower our tariff walls to admit the cheap products
Of the poorly paid laborers of Europe and Asia.
In view of all this, it is refreshing, to say the least,
to learn from a distinguished European publlclSt that
there may be Others. = For according to Jules Sauerwein,
formerly foreign editor of LIE Matin Of Paris, who was
interviewed by newspapermen upon his arrival in New
York the other day, it is France who has been missing
the golden opportunity of assuming world leadership dur
ing the past three years. Mr.. Sauerwein refers to the fact
that France has had plenty of gold and resources, and
enough unity of purpose to lead Europe out of the morass
but has failed to take advantage of the opportunity.
AS quoted by the New York Times, the French public
list said in part:
"The people on the Continent are off balance-no more
equilibrium. [ think it is equally foolish to think of Ger
many starting a war and Of France fearing an immedi-
ate war. | am almost tempted to say that the misfortunes
threatening Europe are worse than war. By this | mean
that with the so-called elite, the leading people, having
failed to determine real ways out, this crisis might be TAX
en- in the hands of the mob. If the financial leaders fail,
then the most brutal element, the mob-and | don't say it
contemptuously-will take the case.
"And it is really a pity, for France in the last three
years had a great opportunity. 1t had the money, the
equilibrium and the power. Unfortunately the govern
ment in France failed to find out the common measures,
the sensible cooperation between national and inteTna-
tional duties. 1t is perhaps not too late, but every day,
every week, must be used. In a few months it will be too
late to save Europe"
Our own internationaIists have been v%ociferous in their
criticism of Uncle Sam but strangely silent in saying
anything of any other nation. If it has been Uncle Sans
duty to help Europe, why hasn't it been all the more the
duty of France to do the same thing, with its gold re-
serves, its great ornaments and its tremendous political
influence on the continent. France is much nearer the
scene than we are and is certainly more vitality interested
in having things in Europe Strengthened out. Therefore
WHY blame it all on to Uncle Sam?
Isn't it a pity the Marines can't be used to protect pro-