The Washington times., 1917-04-02
HOOVER HAILED BY
LIBERATED FRENCH
Relief Commission Chairman
Pays Visit to Towns in
Somme Region.

PARIS, April Herbert c. Hoover,
chairman of the American Commits
sion for Relief in Belgium, visited
yesterday the liberated district of
northern France as a guest of the
French government to investigate re-
lief conditions there.
Many liberated Frenchmen, includ-
ing thirty mayors from evacuated
cofnmunes, expressed in the most
touching manner the gratitude of the
French population of districts given
up by the Germans for the preserva-
tion Of their lives during the last two
and a half years. The meeting took
place at NOyon
The mayors assured Mr.. Hoover that
their lives and those OF their children
had been preserved by the slender
ration of bread received from the re-
lief commission. The scene was most
Affecting as the aged, grizzled men
assembled in the ruins of the old town
hall. Many of them wept. Senator
Noel, mayor of Noyon, dwelt upon the
service of America in the preservation
Of France.
Praises Mayors of Communes.
In his reply Mr.. Hoover paid a tri-
butte TO the French government, which
had supplied the means for relief, and
TO the courage and devotion of the
mayors, all of whom, he said, true to
the French character, had remained
at their posts as the steadfast pro-
tectors Of the people. The relief
work, he declared, had been dependent
entirely upon the mayors and the ex-
cellent results obtained were their
monument
The prefect of the department of
the Disc, on behalf of the French gov
ernment. said that an official investi-
cation Of the liberated communes
showed not only amazing efficiency
under the conditions, but that Che
ANAL proof OF its character was that
public health had been maintained
among the civilian population. Until
the Germans began to retreat they
had not interfered with the relief
work. The prefect was so moved in
expressing thanks to America that for
Q time he was unable to continue be-
cause of tears
Some Of the. mayors still had in
Their keeping money or Supplies
which. the Germans had not taken.
They were extremely careful in their
stewardship, and wished to square
accounts Immediately with Mr.. Hoov-
er- One OF them asked If he had
done wrong in baking bread from re-
lief flour after the Germans had left
Another wanted Mr.. Hoover to count
the empty sacks, which, under the
regulations, had to be returned to the
commission, and another tried to have
Mr. Hoover accept / 400 francs due
the commission.
Sees Devastated Region.
Louis Chevrillon, French commits
Hoover on his visit to the devastated
region and to the villages which have
been destroyed. The inhabitants of
the villages have taken temporary
residence in Ham and Noyon- Some
1000 French mayors still remain at |
their posts in the occupied territory |
behind the German lines.
Mr.. Hoover, speaking to the CORE
spondents before leaving Paris |
today for London, absolved, the |
Germans of the charge of seizing sup !
plies contributed by the commission |
for the relief of the French people.
"The gratitude OF those people was |
touching" he said. "They all testified, |
and the projects investigation con- |
firned their reports. that the commits |
Bun . supplies hdu OeCH hlShi lOuttN |
without loss, and all reached those for |
whom they were meant.
Some misconception had arisen |
among the people. who believed that |
the Germans had substituted their |
own inferior flour for the excellent |
white American flour sent by the com |
mission. This is not so. The mistake !
arose from the public's ignorance of |
the conditions under which the com |
mission works.
"The allies, insisting upon the |
principle of international law that the |
inhabitants of an occupied territory /
are a charge upon the occupying bel |
ligerents, made their aid conditional |
on Germany participating in the work |
of feeding the inhabitants. Germany |
undertook to provide $50 grammes |
(about two pounds) per head daily.
"The people, receiving German inte-
rior flour. believed it had been sub
stituted for American flour. This, In
cidentally, was the only aid Germany
gave to the occupied population"
Mr.. Hoover is going 20 Rotterdam
TO arrange for neutrals, Dutch and |
Spanish, to carry on the commissions
work. He was shocked at the wilfuI
devastation he saw in the reconquered |
region of France. He spoke Of one
place where tree trunks had been used
as battering rams to- destroy what
fire could not destroy. and agricultur
al implements had been collected
from the little farms and burned or
smashed beyond repair.