The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1919-01-03
END Of WAR SHOWS
FOOD CONDITIONS
VAST POPULATIONS OF COUN.
TRIES IN EUROPE URGENTLY
NEED FOOD FOR THIS
WINTER.
Save TO HELP THESE PEOPLE

FOOu ADMINISTRATOR Hoover sdiu oe-
! fore going to Europe:
81 am going to Europe to discuss the
further food measures that must be
organized as a result of the cessation
] of hostilities. The food problem In
Europe today is one of extreme COM
plexity. OF their 420.000.000 practi-
cally only three areas-South Russia,
Hungary and Denmark-comprising
say 00O0,OO0-have sufficient food
supplies to last until next harvest
without imports. Some mus have i'm
mediate relief.
/ I'VE have a surplus of some $4,000
900 to 20,CoOO00 tons OF food IL we
are economical so that the situation
can be handled if this and the other
smaller SURPRISES in the world can be
transported
"All continental Europe has reduced
: herds and is consequently, short OF
meats and especially fats. These coun-
tries have their last harvest and under
orderly governments this would fur
nish breadstuffs and vegetables for
various periods from two months up
wards, depending upon the ratio OF
social dis order In these cases with
transportation and financial demoral-
iZation, the tendency is for peasants
to cease marketing even their Surplus
and thus instant difficulties are pro-
jected into the cities even when re-
sources are available in the country.
The peasant and villager of Europe
always provides for himself for the
whole year in any event. The prob
lem thus narrows itself to the support
of the cities and large towns pending
restoration of order and the establish
ment of confidence in future supplies
and the cities are the cent er Of an
archistic infection.
Arrangements have long since been
completed by which the big Allies,
that is, France, England and Italy will
be provisioned. This covers 125,000,-
900 people.
Our first and deepest concern now
must be for the little Allies who were
under the German yoke-they are the
Belgians, Serbians, Roumanians,
| Creeks Zechs, Jugo-Slavs and others
There are some 100000 people in
these groups and they must be sys.
tematically helped and at once We
have already doubled the streams OF
food flowing toward Belgium.
Our next concern must be to relax
blockade measures as far as possible
in order that the neutral states in
Europe who are now all on short ra.
tons should be able TO take care of
their people and prevent the growth
of anarchy. This is another group of
about 40,000,000.
Another problem lies in the So.
100000 people in North Russia, a large
part of whom are inaccessible owing
to the breakdown of transportation
and through sheer anarchy Millions
of these are beyond help this winter
These groups are the ones that must
enlist the sympathy Of the American
people and for whom we are prepared
to make any sacrifice.
There is a great problem in the
situation of the enemy people, about
90,000,000 This problem is not one
of going to their relief II is a prob |
lem of relaxing the watertight block. |
ade, which continues through the
armistice, sufficiently so that they may
secure for themselves the bare neces.
stiles that will give stable government.
Unless anarchy can be put down and |
stability Of government can bs oh.
tanned in these enemy states, there
will be nobody to make peace with
and nobody to pay the bill to France
and Belgium for the fearful destruc.
ton that has been done would Ger
tainly approach this problem with mix.
ed feelings, having been long a wit.
ness to the robbery OF food from WON
en- and children and the destruction
of millions OF tons of food at sea and |
to the misery under which the millions
amongst the big and little Allies have
suffered under the German yoke. Jus
tice requires that government be es
tablished able to make amends for
wrongs done, and IL cannot be accom-
plished through spread of anarchy.
Famine is the mother Of anarchy"