Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THURSDAY, JANUARY 27th., 1921. EUROPEAN AFFAIRS.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 January 1921, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THURSDAY, JANUARY 27th., 1921. EUROPEAN AFFAIRS.

Thk disturbed and uncertain state of affairs in Europe is largely the cause of the universal unfavorable conditions prevailing all round the world, both financially and industrially. Europe was of course the main seat of the Great War, and that titanic upheaval has produced results which will take decades to reorder along normal lines. The aftermath of the war period is bitterly felt i" Eastern and Central Europe, to say nothing of its very serious effects in ’Western Europe, including Great Britain. The disruption of Russia has a marked effect on the world’s prosperity and there are not any immediate signs of material reform is that sorely stressed country where Bolshevism is holding sway. In Poland there is another serious plight, while Austria and Turkey, are nationally bankrupt. The smaller nations circling those large territories are also in an extreme position and add to the confusion and difficulties of the situation. Italy has its serious internal trouble. Germany, the arch conspirator of the war, appears to be making the best and greatest strides of all to rehabilitation, and apparently has plenty of teserve force to recover quickly from the effects of her own undoing. While she can never restore herself to her former prestige, she is on the highway already to industrial rejuvenation, and hy means of the great volume of production, she is capable of, she is on a fair way to financial restoration. The Allied Conference now in session will have many difficult problems to handle. The Greek sovereignty is a delicate issue of international interests. France is clamouring for German reparation, and looking to the possibilities of Germany’s industrial recovery, France is on the right (oad in exacting all" the toll she can as soon as she can. Germany will lie made to pay while her dupes reduced to national bankruptcy will be a burden on the hands of the Allies anxious to be humane in their dealings even with their fallen foes The restoration of trade with Russia will he another hard nut to crack, while equally difficult will be the financial position of Austria, Poland and the other nations which have been rendered bankrupt by the ravages of war. The task of fashioning the way for peace ’is no less difficult and costly than was the task of imposing peace on the belligerents. America which for humanity’s sake entered the war to end war, stands aloof now from the intricate task of creating international conditions which will impose a world peace. Despite the loss of this all-powerful ally, Great Britain, France and Italy with the consorted nations arc holding on to their great task, and when the complete history of the settlement of the war is written, a proud

place will be found for those nations who held on to the eiid and did not leave the task uncompleted. It is only fair to say that at this stage American ;d1 itics aie in solution. 'Hie United • tales is swopping at the moment. Mr ! Wilson politically discredited as he is by the kite national vote goes out of office shortly to make room foi'* Mr Harding who holds a national mandate of enormous power. Tt is not too late yet for the United States to restart her humanitarian efforts in Europe. Conditions there are so chaotic that, as we say, there arc decades ahead before the normal times of pre-war days can come again. There will be plenty for the United States to do in Europe, and her wealth and power will be needed in generous quotas if the European .situation is to he restored with any celerity. The present Conference will In* called on to take decisive action in respect to many distinct questions in European politics, and on that action will rest far more than the international peace of Europe, for all quarters of the globe, have an interest in the outcome of events, and all must wish for rational action loading up to the one consummation so devoutly to he wished for—•the permanent peace of Europe—a condition which will reflect itself all round the world very speedily.