Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-12-24
BLISS URGES
|FOODPOOLTO
Save EUROPE
Peace Delegate, Home,
Would Include Germany
and Maybe Russia.

IA6 VI Ato AoOu supply duu luC k1Up-
er distribution facilities under a
director general, In the opinion of
Tasker H. Bliss, a member of the
American peace delegation, who
reached Washington today from
Paris.
Such an arrangement. General
Bliss said, would remove discon-
tent, strengthen morale and aid
over their formative period the new
governments which have been cre-
ated as a result OF the war.
Germany should be included in
the economic coalition, General
Bliss said. With Germany exclud-
ed, he declared, there would be an
element Of discOntent which would
inevitably react on the other coun-
tries.
Little Hope for Russia.
General Bliss saw no possibility
Of including Russia in the distri-
button plan. but he said if the pres
ent so-called government of that
country would play fair with the
rest of the world for 30 days, and
during that time the general dis
tribution Of necessities could be
worked to include Russia" he be-
lieved that the present situation in
that country would be completely
changed.
Plenty Produced.
There is no reason for famine
threatening any portion of Europe,
General Bliss said, despite the de-
struction and loss of production
during the war. He estimated food
production, this year in Europe to
be between 80 and So per cent of
normal. 80. tef y
/. Iat4rrspeson -of. edietr1Butloa and
boarding Of excess supplies ex-
plains thespresent- economic situa-
ton, in his opinion.
The general likened the various
nations to individual units Of a
family which. separated ty quar-
rel, are holding all the "joint
stock" of food and transportation
utilities formerly owned in COM
mon. The result, he said, is that
one unit has coal, another oil. and
another wheat in excess but each
is lacking in one or more essen
tials.
Old Nations Stable.
The morale of the older govern
ments in Europe is good without
exception, General Bliss said, but
the more recently established ma
tions are still far from stable.
General Bliss suggested that
"such a man as Herbert Hoover
should be named director general
Of supplies for Europe and that the
latter should be appointed with
this official another to be director
general of transportation. Into
the common pool, under the plan.
would be placed not only all stores
of cereals and grains, but coal, pc
troleum, metals and railroad equip
ment. .
Food Near Starving.
There is food in plenty right up
to the gates of Budapest and vi
emma and starvation within both
cities" General Bliss declared.
The present government Of Ger
many, weak as it is," represents
the only hope of the world for the
early reconstruction of that coun-
try, in the opinion of the peace
commissioner.
IF that government falls" he
said, there can arise only one OF
two extremes, either an absolutely
reactionarY government, or what
would amount to rule by soviet"
Little Ground for Fear.
He had seen no official reports
which indicated a revival Of the
junker domination of Germany nor
which bore out the fears expressed
abroad that Germany would again
become a menace to world peace.
Europe as a whole is so tired
of war;" he said, that incidents
which ordinarily might lead to hos
tilities will be long overlooked
France is SO near to Germany that
a condition which to us might ap-
pear as trivial to her takes on the
ASPECT of a threatened invasion"