Arizona republican., 1919-02-17
Most Serious Calamity Was Denuding Belgium Of Dairy Stock-Food Ad- ministrator Outlines Diff ficulty Of Work Short age Appalled, World For While.
IRepubIiean A. p. Leased Wirel

which Herbert Hoover, director gen eral of the international relief organ ization, was the principal speaker Minister of Commerce. Clementel deco rated General Charles C. Dawes, chief of the American purchasing service a commander of the legion of honor, and Frank H. Simonds, New York newspaper writer a knight of the legion of honor.
 Reviewing the relief and food con ditions in northern France and Bel gium, in an address before the Circle Nolney last night, Herbert c. Hoover, the United States food administrator and director general of the interallied relief organization. said;
 T have been asked to say few words on the revictualling now carried on for nearly four years, of the occu- pied areas of Belgium and northern France. It was the first food admins tration in Europe, for it was in Bel gium and northern France Cat Europe first felt the impact of the war on food supplies. These were the first people to realize the shortage through hunger
 Tt was about year after the foun- datiOn of the commission for relief in Belgium before any other systematic attempt vas made at food administra- tion in the world. It also represents the first interallied movement which embraced the United States, for It's financial support and administration for the joint effort of America, France England and Belgium. Its enterprise is of considerable volume. as it's trans actions now exceed five billion francs It has been carried on without profit with a large measure of idealism, and self-denial, and with the aim of the allies the amelioration of injuries brought about by Germany
 Food Shortage Appalled,
 Subsequently the spread of the food shortage in the world endangered the supply of even the allied governments themselves. and again there was allied action in it's solution. The whole sit uation of the allied world has now passed. but the armistice finds us con- fronted with the enormous food prob- lems of two hundred million people now dominated by Germany, and agair the solid point of action by the asso- ciated governments becomes necessary in the work of mercy and stability oi government.
 T. have recently revisited the de- vastated regions of northern France and Belgium. There is no man. ever without personal experience of two ant one-half years of German rule, whC could pay a mere casual visit to north ern France and Belgium, without ex- periencing renewed fire of indignation at the men and forces which brough about this appalling situation.
 Despite the depths of feeling I have in these matters, I am not prepared to say that the German race is be- yOnd redemption, that it is not oui duty to endeavOr to build up that peo- pie to the decency of membership ir the league of nations. There is per haps one step outstanding today ir their progress in that direction. more lacking than any other, and that is total abstemence of any expression ol regret. If the seventy millions of Ger mans were to shed the tears of Niobt for the next thousand years, they could not wash away the human misery fol which they have been responsible il Belgium and northern France alone.
 "One of the features of the relation ship of our Americans with the Ger mans, was that they had to endure every hour of every day, whether awake or asleep, the personal, definite attachment of a German officer.
 Service Under Difficulties
 "One of the worst features of this association was that there could he nc conversation between the Americans and the civil population, except in tho presence of an officer, and such con. versations were required to be con. fined to the mere routine of the re. victualing. Some of our men we're es- corted out of the country on a Ger man order for an expression of tho merest human kindliness.
 When the United States came into the war it was necessary for the relic commission 10 retreat out of the nortf of France. and secure the assistanc, of neutrals. By that time the organi. zation had been built upon until il required no intervention in it's admin. istrative features, merely guardian. ship.
 'I am happy to say that there Ina, not been a case. or even a suggestion of dishonest dealing. Beyond this from the point of view of the admin. istrator, there has been that fidelity tC duty. that carefulness as to detail anc ! which should stand as monument {, the ability of the French people for al time.
 "The occupied population, after foul years Of endurance. has come out aliv, and in>good health. It is. however suffering from a very natural menta | apathy, and it will be months befor, it recovers it's initial activity, that ac tivity of mind and self-reliance so in. herent in the French people. You can not expect men who have suffered years of Imprisonment under continue, cruelty and terror. to resume thei mental activities. their energy and abil ities in their daily tasks, until the, have had period of acclimatizatiol to their new surroundings. and a grad ual resurrection of courage and initia | tive.
 The consequence is that the popula ton in the north requires rct onl physical assistance. but moral stimula ton and leadership for gradually nurs ing them back through convalescencs
 "The task of the care of the peopi and reconstruction of the north is ap