The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-04
Hoover Has Million Tons of
Ships To Take Food Over.
Must Send Billion and Half in
Food Before July L.

Paris, Jan. 4.-Herbert C. Hoover,
VINO has been appointed director of
allied food relief in newly liberated,
neutral and enemy territories in Eu-
rope, talked about the work before
him to The Associated Press. He said
that German ships totalling nearly
three million tons will be used to
carry food to Europe and that Ger
man passenger boats will be utilized
to send American soldiers home
Food worth s1,500,000,O must
be imported into Europe to provide
against actual needs between now and
project is a stupendous task" said
Mr.. Hoover. Liberated territories
will be fed first but much of this ter
ritory has no other government than
that of scattered municipalities: it has
no credit and is unable to pay for
food. Poland, Armenia, Czecho-
Slovakia and the Jugo-Slav republics
are in this condition as well as many
other suffering sections. Most of the
necessary food must come from the
that government are comforting with
those of the allied powers as to means
for paying for this food
Y. S. Will Raise Money.
When asked how the United States
Will raise the money to meet the i'm
mediate demands of liberated terri
tories Mr.. Hoover said that the presi-
dent has the matter under considera-
ton and that is outside the domain
of the food commission. Norman
Davis was named as the other Amer
lean member of the council, while
ment of Etienne Clementel and NJ
Vilgrain- The British and Italian
members of the council have not been
named as yet.
Replying to an Interrogation as to
whether congress would be appealed
to in a Special message Mr.. Hoover
said that President Wilson alone will
determine how to raise the funds, but
he added that the amount probably
would be wholly beyond any sum that
might be contributed by individuals
or organizations.
Their Credit Shattered.
The problem of financing food sup
plies for 'neutrals, the central powers
and the entente nations is less diff
cult than involved in feeding liberated
territories. Altho the credit of the
central powers is shattered, they have
securities to pay for food. In liber-
ated countries alone. Mr.. Hoover said.
there are 125.000,00O persons to be
fed, living chiefly in town and cities.
Rural popula tons generally have
stored food and will be able to care
for themselves.
In discussing the food situation in
Germany, Mr.. Hoover said that the
United States has 80 officers travelling
thru that country conducting an in
yestigation. He said that he had re-
ceived from officers of entente nations
reports stating that the supply of fats
presented the chief trouble. AS yet
reports are not sufficiently complete
fora definite statement of the Ger
man position but he thinks that i'm
mediate relief will probably not be
i'm Imperative
Feed Germany Last.
In any event he indicated that Ger
many must wait until the other suf-
ferers are fed. In exchange for the
gradually be allowed to have food. Mr..
Hoover said adding that the United
States will grant to Germany the use
of freight tonnage equivalent to the
passenger tonnage required to trans
port American troops home. Mr..
Hoover said that two shiploads OF food
are now enroute to Finland and that
several cargoes are on the way to Rot
terdam to be distributed by rail to
Poland and the Baltic provinces as
soon as financial arrangements have
been completed.
: Already S5O.U6e tons of food have
been gathered in Adriat:c ports and
are awaiting shipment as soon as pay
ment is arranged for He said that
food distribution in Serbia and Ru-
mania would be difficult as the for
ner has less than 100 locomotives and
the latter not over $50. Small amounts
of food have already been sent to
Vienna, where the situation is critical
-eN[--
Let $4,000 Road Contract.