The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-10
FOOD FLOWING TO
STARVING EUROPE
Hoover Began Work Three
Days After the Armistice
Was Signed.
DIDN'T WAIT ON CONGRESS
President Placed $5,000,00O
From National Defence Fund
at His Disposal.
Special Dsspa,cn TO TIE sts.

Special Despa,cA TO TIE Str.
WASHINGTON, March "a striking
example Of American initiative and
genius for organization is shown In
statement to-day Issued by the United
States Food Administration concerning
progress Of herbert c. Hoover's work In
furnishing food and other urgent supplies
to Europe and the near East Germany
and her allies do not figure in the plan.
The S100,000,00O appropriated for the
participation OF the United States In the
work has been available less than two
weeks, but two streams of supplies al
ready are flowing smoothly to their
destination.
It develops now that Mr.. Hoover has
been devoting himself to preparations for
this work since three days after the
armistice was signed. Just as in the hrst
days OF the Commission for Relief in
Belgium and in the first days OF
the Food Administration 1t was
seen that immediate action was impera-
tive and that there could be no delay
for the response from charitable insh-
buttons or for official action by any
Government
Three days otter the signing OF the
arrnistice the President directed Air.
Hoover to go to Europe and arrange
ments were made for the Immediate pur-
OF foodstuffs, consisting OF -four and fats,
chiefly pork products, The President
placed 100000 of the national defense
fund to be used for emergency pur-
poses to start the work.
Accompanied by Volunteer Aids.
Mr.. Hoover called to his aid as volun-
teers a number Of men who had aided
him IN the Food Administration and
placed them in charge of the work
at strategical points. Howard Helms.
Federal Food Administrator for Penn
eylvania, was stationed at Constsnd-
nople; Mangus Swenson, Federal Food
Administrator for wisconsin. went TO
| Copenhagen: Vernon Kellogg OF the
Washington headquarters Food Admins
tration. was placed In charge at War
saw. and others like Y. A. Peden, the
Texas Food Administrator went over to
render aid as general assistants. Dr.
/ Alonzo Taylor. who served as a member
Of the Food Administration in Washing
ton, headed a commission that investi-
gated food conditions in Germany and
| Austria.
Thus with tho staff Of the Food Ad-
ministration, tho Commission for Relief
in Belgium, and the Army and Navy to
call on Mr.. Hoover was able not only to
| got UP experienced and trained organisa-
| tons where he needed them. but also
to start Investigations OF actual needs Of
tho countries which were oallISg for
! relief.
| The headquarters in Paris were
manned by a group OF mon, each with
personal knowledge based on actual in
vestigation of the regions IL waa p~o-
posed to cover-Poland, Jugo-Slavia. in
Guiding Serbia. Ruman!a, Czccho- slo-
vakia and tho Near East, with head
quarters respectively at Warsaw. Trieste,
Prague, Bucharest and Constantinople.
Two Streams of Supplies.
In consequence, as soon as the $780,
| 100000 bill was signed by the Presi-
| dent he named Mr.. Hoover the director
general for the American Relief Ad-
ministration, continued the Grain Cor
poration as tho purchasing and dis
| tributtng agency for this American Re-
lief Administrator. authorized Mr..
Hoover TO namo observation-disclosures for
the United States and at important
points abroad. and the work went ahead
| with no perceptible break
AS soon as the arrangements for the
first 100000 900 tons of food were COM
pleted Immediately after the armistice
these supplies were divided into two
| streams, ono passing through the Straits
or gibraltar 10 the MedlterraneOn the
other through the English Channel with
Rotterdam as the ultimate distr ibut1ns
point
Arrange ments already have been
made whereby the United States Treas
ury, under the powers of the liberty
Loan aot, has established credits for
Serbia, Rumania and Czecho-slovakia.
The requirements of these regions are
carefully surveyed and the facilities for
distribution thoroughly canvRssed be-
fore the Anal requisition IS passed on
to the New York Office OF the Ameri-
can Relief Association.
The Grain Corporation. which from
It's work as part OF the Food Admins
tratIon has built UP machinery for the
work by the Presidents executive order
will continue to serve as the purchas-
ing and forwarding agency for the
American Relief Association, all OF
whose funds must pass through the
HANDS OF its dishursing officer.
|