Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-11-16
little Allies
NEED FOOD NOW
HUNWON'TSTARVE
American People viii Not
Have To Deprive Them
selves to Feed BOche.
SHE NEEDS ONLY TO PAY
FRENCH AND BELGIANS
Act Prohibiting Use Of Food
Siuffs For Beer Still
In Effect.

people will not have to deprive them-
selves of mouthful of food to feed
Germany, Herbert Hoover, federal food
administrator, declared here today be-
fore sailing for Europe to hold a series
OF conferences on world food supply
with the allied and neutral food Off
cials.
"We are not worrying about Gen
many said Hoover. "She can take
care of herself. What we are worrying
about is the little alles' who have
been under the Geman yoke. They are
faced by famine. We must give them
help and lose no time in doing so. ~
Administrator Hoover declared that
Germany was not faced by starvation
and that as soon as the water-tight
blockade was relaxed she could get ~.
the food that is needed
Lever Act Still in Force.
''Our only interest in Germany is to
get together on a stable basis SO she
can pay the money she owes to France
and Belgium" said Hoover.
When asked il there was any .possi-
bility Of the Lever act, which prohibits
the use of foodstuffs for the manufac-
ture Of beer after December !, pcing
rescinded, Hoover replied in the mega
tive. He stated, however, that there
were sufficient stocks Of beer on hand
to supply this country for -four or frve
months.
Hoover issued the following state
ment explaining his mission abroad;
"I am going to Europe to discuss the
further food measures that must be
organized as result of the cessation
of hostilities. The food problem in
Europe today is one Of extreme com
plexity. OF their 420,0O0,000 peopio.
practically only three rcas-south
Russia, Hungary and Denmark-com.
prising 100000, have sufficient food
supplies to last until next harvest with
out imports. Some must have imncdi-
ate relief.
Is Food Surplus.
"We will have surplus Of some
100000 to 20,0O0,000 tons Of food, II
we are economical, SO that the situa-
ton can be handled If this and other
smaller surpluses in the world can be
transported.
can continental Europe has reduced
herds consequently is short of meats
and especially fats. These countries
have their last harvest and under or
derly governments this would furnish
breadstuffs and vegetables for various
periods from two months upward, de-
pending upon the ratio of industrial
populations. Something over 100000,
900 Of peoples are now in social disor-
der. In these cases, with transpoItn-
tion and financial demoralization, the
tendency is for peasants to cease mar
keting their surplus ana thus instant
difficulties are projected into the cities
even when resources are available in
the country. The peasant and Y, isA,f
of Rnope always provides for himself
for the whole year in any event. The
problem thus narrows itself to the sup
port of the cities and large towns, pend
ing restoration Of order and the estab.
lishment Of confidence in future sup
plies-and the cities are the centers
of anarchistic infection.
Big Allies Provisioned.
Arrangements have long since been
completed by which the big allies, that
is, France, England and Italy, win lie
provisioned. This covers 125,000,0OO
people.
"Onr next concern must be to relax
blockade measures as far as possible in
order that the neutral states Of Europe
who are now all on short rations should
to be able to take care Of their people
and prevent the growth Of anarchy.
This is another group of about 10000
900.
Another problem lies in the 50.000,-
600 people in northern Russia, large
part of whom are inac>essiblr owing to-
the breakdown of transportation anc
through sheer anarchy. Millions of
these are Beyond help this winter.
Relax Water Blockade.
"These groups arc the ones that
must enlist the sympathy Of the Ameri-
can people and for whom we are to-
make any necessary sacrifice.
There is great problem in the sit
uation Of the enemy people--about 90,-
600. This problem is not one of going
to their relief 1t is a problem of re-
laxing the water blockade which con
tinues through the armistice, sufficient
ly so that they may secure for them
selves the bare necessities that will
give stable government Unless anar-
ehy can be put down and stabf,... ~