Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1918-12-02
HOOvER'S Mes
sage IS READ
Message of National Food
Administrator to PeO-
pie is Read in
Churches.
PRESENT PROGRAM
Opportunity Now to Assist
Cause of Suffering
Humanity.

Humanity.
In the churches of Webster City,
Hamilton county and Iowa and general
ly over the nation, the message of Her
bert Hoover, nationali food administra-
tor, was read yesterday. This message
came in pursuance of the plan to set
aside Sunday, Dec. 1, and the week
following for the consideration of AM
erica's opportunity for renewed SER
vice and sacrifice. Mr.. HOovcr's mess
age follows:
Last summer, when the military stu
alton was acute, we assured the inter-
allied food conference in London, that
whatever the war-food program of the
allies required we were prepared to
meet; that the conference need not con-
slider whether or not we had the sup
plies-we were prepared to find them;
we pledged ourselves, by the voluntary
economy of out people, to have the re-
serves in food to supply all necessities.
The ending of the war does not release
us from the pledge. The same popula-
ton must be fed, and until another
season has passed they cannot feed
Program Altered.
The change in the foreign situation
necessarily alters the details of our food
program, because the freeing of the
seas from the submarine meance rem
ders accessible the wheat supplies of
India, Australia and the Argentine
The total food demand upon the Unit
ed States is not diminished, however.
On the contrary, it is increased. In adj
dition to the supplying of those to
whom we are already pledged, we now
have the splendid opportunity and obi
CATION Of meeting the needs of those
millions of people in the hitherto occu-
starvation. The people of Belgium,
northern France, Serbia, ROumanla,
Montenegro, Poland, Russia and Ar
menia rely upon America for immc
diate aid. We must also participate
in the preservation of the newly liber-
ated nations in Austria; nor can we
ignore the effect on the future world
of a famine condition
among those other people whom we
have recently released from our enc
mics. All these considerations mean
that upwards of 200 million people, in
addition to those we are already pledg-
ed to serve, are now looking to us in
their misery and famine. Our appeal
today is therefore larger than the for
mcr appeal to the war conscience of
our people. The new appeal is to the
world conscience which must be the
guiding inspiration of our future pro-
gram.
10 Feed hungry NATIONS.
The president of the United States
has asked me to take charge for this
government of this work; to perfect
and enlarge the arrangements for food
stuffs to the populations Of Belgium
and France now being released, and to-
organize and determine the need of pro-
vision to the liberated peoples of south
ern Europe to prevent such debacle as
has taken place in Russia.
The determining factor for the sue
cess of such an enlarged appeal will he
the vivid consciousness in every indi-
vidual in each community Of obligation
and opportunity. 1t is that common
recognition of obligation that we now
wish to create. Such an intelligent
world conscience in the American
people must be the main dependence of
the stricken countries of the world UNI
til normal conditions are once more
restored.
America by her participation in the
war has accomplished her detectives of
elf-defense and of vindicating the eff
cheney of a government in which the
people, and the people only, are sover-
eign. She has established the founda-
tons of government by the people
throughout the enemy countries, and
this is the real bulwark of world peace.
We have yet to build on these founda-
tons. No government or nation can
stand if it's people are starving. We
must do our part if the world he not
in flame of anarchy.
The American people, in this most
critical period of their history, have the
to demonstrate not only
their ability to assist in establishing
peace on earth. but also their consecra-
ton, by self-denial. to the cause of suf-
e., vx,r fr