The World's Way Out

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVI, Issue 3439, 5 March 1932, Page 9 (Supplement)

The World's Way Out

We have often expressed our admiration for the great Cavalier Chaplain, who wrote " Good Thoughts in Bad Times." Old Puller's text just now is well worth the world's remembrance, and we may try to show how it applies. Cheerfulness jn trouble is the soundest part of human disritthns. Some enviable beings have it naturally. The rest of us are apt \ 0 fall short, in spite of Ourselves, when fate or fortune strikes the hardest; or, again, on thos© familiar occasions when life seems not so much "one damned thing after another," but " every damned thing at once." For most people, quite indomitable cheerfulness is a quality that requires daily thought and practice; but, given these, we can do wonders with ourselves, i

It is true that human history is an alternation of good times and bad. And true, after all, that when things are at their worst they begin to mend.

THE CLOUDS AND THE STARS. For the last few years we have been less inclined to encourage foolish complacency about economic facts than to warn the nation continually against it. We cannot be accused of habitual false optimism when we venture to state our belief that the very worst will be over within a few months from now, and that there is a great hope in the heart of things.

We are well aware of all the circumstances which may well make this judgment seem a hardy opinion. The new year has opened sternly for all the world. Afterwards, the complex politico-financial discussions in which France, Germany, Britain, and the United States are chiefly concerned may come to a very critical and stubborn phase. Until the inseparable difficulties off debts and reparations are thoroughly solved and removed there can be no final cure for the uncertainty and apprehension which are everywhere the worst enemies of world revival. But neither the French nor the American Government officially admits that it is yet prepared to seek finality. The chronic crisis since last June, when Germany was forced to suspend her foreign payments, is in no way relieved, but is in some respects aggravated. * * * * "HOOVER AND HISTORYT» The sure way out is through the total cancellation o*f war debts and reparations. It is now the only sure way and the only sane way. But whether it is taken or not depends upon the United States, and the action of America depends upon whether Mr Hoover, like Mr MacDonald and Dr Bruning, is prepared to give his political life to have it. Nothing else will serve but that decisive greatness of personal leadership to which the American people have never yet failed to respond. * * * *

President Hoover in his messages to an unfriendly Congress foi-eshad-owed tjhe unavoidable extension of his year's moratorium to Germany; but, like France, though for very different reasons, he seems to maintain the principle of war debts, and therefore of reparations, indefinitely continued. We well understand this, at

" GOOD THOUGHTS IN BAD TJMES." j THE MARCH OF REASON. I I WHEN THINGS ARE AT THEIR WORST THEY ! BEGIN TO MEND. ! I (By L. J. Garvin in the London Observer.) !

the present initial stage, as a megotiating position not to be prematurely surrendered by any wise American statesman dealing with EurcpgaTT £ail--ditions as they are. Yet Mr Hoover's only way now to imperishable honour and fanie in American nisttry Sffl& worid history } 6a d s towards kf'tf &p "gal tQ America to stand for a total removal from "the business and bosoms " of mankind of war debts and war reparations together.

OVER THE WORST. Every year adds to the milfoils and millions of citizens in the Reich who were children or little more in 1914; and generally it is absurd to suggest that the mass of the people in that country to-day have any moral responsibility whatever for the war. Again, it is no use giving oxygen to Germany when she is prostrate and strangling her again when she revives; and dealing with her as, in the days of early travellers, the Abyssinians used to deal with their cattlecutting a steak from the living animal, patching up the wound, and soon taking a slice from another quarter. * * * *

In any case the collapse of Germany must be and will be prevented. France, now that some "golden years " of unique advantage are over and cannot return, will have to concentrate, in her own interest, on sound and friendly economic relations witl/ her neighbours. It is not at all impossible that Frenqh statesmanship by a master-stroke may decide to lead the movement for wiping out war debts and reparations alike.

* * f * AMERICAN WELFARE AND THE WORLD SPIRIT.

Then what of the fundamental interest of America ?It is true that the United States, with its magnificent range of natural resources, is nearly self-contained than any other great society, and if material factors alone counted might achieve singlehanded a revival of prosperity. But in spite of this degree of material independence the American people cannot get off the planet, or escape the moral effect of the general 'human atmosphere. The psychological effect of that factor has hitherto proved de* cisive. In times of peace throughout the last half century American business has been always most buoyant when the trend of world trade was upward and the general spirit of Mankind was. most confident and sanguine. With every conceivable gift of fortune and ability at tyieir disposal, the American people have been cutting their own throats with a goHen razor. * * * * British thought ori these lines cannot be suspected of pursuing any selfish interest, for no change with respect to war debts and reparations can give any relative advantage over other nations to Britain which at thfc same time has been America's best customer in trade and best payer in every way. We are convinced that, as often before, general adversity will be the mother of a new wisdom; that though 1932 has opened sternly, it will end far better; and that the international movement, even in the next four or five months, will herald, the approach of world revival.