Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-11-16
ENGINEERS FORM
COMMISSION FOR
BELGIAN RELIEF
Only One Member Of Ameri-
can Body in Charge Of
Work in Stricken Country
Follows Different Profession
t,s.oeIa.ed Press correspondence,

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London, Nov with the cxce9-
ton OF its treasurer, Clarence Graft,
who Is banker. every active mem
her of the American commission for
the relief Of Belgians Is an engineer.
The work of these men II pointed 70
as a tribute to the thoroughness of
tho American engineering colleges.
II. c. Hoover who heads both the
American relief committee and the
Belginn commission Is n mining engl-
neer who directs the labors Of $780,
900 miners and shelter operatives Ia
various parts of the world. Hoover
Is graduate OF Leland Stanford, Jr..
university OF which institution he Is
now a trustee. having succeeded 10
the position on the board vacated by
the death of Whitelaw Reid.
London Is the mecca Of successful
American engineers, and Hoover has
gathered about him a group Of men
well equipped for the work in hand,
and with considerable leisure to de-
vote TO il. because the war has sus-
pended so many OF the enterprises IN
which they are Interested.
IIcincman Vice Chairman.
The vice chairman is Daniel Helno-
man. who Is an electrical engineer
and head Of one OF the largest inter-
national electrical manufactures
groups The other members are VIII
liam Hulse also an electrical engl-
neer and head OF a number of enEl-
neerlng companies John Beaver
White, an electrical engineer and q
partner In one OF the largest contract
ing firms In Europe; Willard Hun
skier. an electrical engineer. and for
many years one of the executives OF
tho United states steel corporation,
Capt. j. Il. Lnccy. mechanical engi-
neer and head of a large manntactur-
inc concern doing business in the
United States and Europe: j. w.
Dickson, civil engineer; Hart q. Berg,
mechanical engineer: Edgar Richard,
mining engineer. and Willard Shaier,
a mechanical engineer living in brus-
sela.
For three weeks American. Span
ieh and Belgian diplomatic rcnrcscn-
tatives struggled with the question OF
supplying Belgium with food without
making much progress beyond secur-
ing the promises of cooperation from
the various governments concerned.
When the need became acute and u
was necessary to get food under way
at once the American ambassador
here called upon Hoover to form the
needed working organization. ana the
result when Hoover called for volun-
teers was the existing commission
with its predominant engineering per-
sonnet.
The first and most serious obstacle
encountered by the commission was
the refusal Of the English govern
ment 10 remove It's embargo on the
export of food, even for such a nee
essarv work MS the succor or tne
starving Belgians. Early in the dip
lomatic negotiations, the British gov
eminent not only promised TO allow
the EXPORT OF food supplies TO Bel
GUM. but promised the Belgian min
ister large cash contribution eacn
month. Evidently becoming alarmed
over the condition OF the domestic
food supply the cabinet reeonsiuereu
its action and declined TO do more
than make a lump sum contribution
of a Quarter of million dollars TO
be used TO purchase food for the BEL
CLANS In Holland. As one OF the
members of the commission expressed
il. this was equivalent to asking me
Belgian minister 10 buy food Tor nv
starving fellow countrymen at 'ne
north pole, for Holland has not only
forbidden the export of foodstuiis'
hut Is actually suffering from short
age itself.
hold Step Il Taken.
The commission then determined
upon the bold step of buying the nee
essary foodstuffs for temporary re-
lief and counting on diplomatic ell
forts and pressure OF public opinion
to force the British government 70
raisa the embargo. Within twenty
four hours Of the organization OF the
commission It had purchased quai
ter Of a million dollars worth OF iVou
supplies. chartered the necessary snip
and while the food was beng placed
on board quietly informed the caplnet
that the Belgian people were starviIs
and asked. Are you going 10 allow
this food to go to the Beigians OF
not?" ,s ,ho
Having carefully advertised tne
facts of the purchase and the depar
ure of the shipments Tor Holiahu
there could only be one answer irol'
The British government. me consen'
was given, but with the stipuiatio,s
attached that an eqhhi amoune ~
food must be replaced in the British
markets from some foreign source.
This with the additional ruling Oh inc
English government that all supp'es
for the starving Beigians must po
carried in neutral bottoms, pracucaiiy
means that all relief for them must
come from America, so the commis-
sion will make every effort 70 CO.
ordinate the various enterprises uh-
der way in the United states Tor 'ne