The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-04-18
NtNSFN'S SUGGESTION

ne tcloWtlte t1iteC Fb5S bGtn ad- II
dressed by Dr. Fridjof Nansen. NOR
werian representative to PRESIDENT
Wilson and Premiers Ciemenceau.
LioEd-George and Orlando:
The present food situation in rus
STA from sheer starvation and disease.
is one of the problems now upper-
most in ali mems minds.
AS it appears that no solution Of
this food condition question has sa
FAR been reached i'm any delegation
would like 10 make suggestion from
neutral point of view for tho bene-
fit OF this gigantic rniserx, on purely
Humanitarian grounds
1t would appear TO me possible to :.
organize a purely hunIanitaf ian COM
mittec Tor the provisioning OF Russia
the food stuffs and medical supplies
10 be paid for, perhaps. to some OK
tent by Russia itself. the justice OF
distribution TO he guaranteed by
a committee, the personnel of the
comprised of Norwegian, Swedish and
possibly Dute.1, Danish aua swiss
nationals. s4
1t does nor appear that The exist
ing authorities in Russia would refuse
the Intervention Of such a committees
4uf wholly non-poiitical aspect devoted
solely TO the humanitarian purpose
/ OF saving life.
! If thus organized upon the lines
of the Belgium relief commission Ii
would raise no question of political
recognition or negotiations between
the allies with the existing authorities
in Russia.
+ Il recognize keenly the large politi-
cal issues involved and | would he
glad to know uffder what conditions
/ the peace conference would approve
such an enterprise and whether such
a committee could look for real sap
port in finance shipping. TODD afisl
! medical supplies.
REPLY OF ZIG FOIR
The following reply was sent by
President Wilson and the rronliars
today:
The misery and suffering IN Russ
! STA, described in your letter OF .Apr.l ~
appeal 10 the sympathies OF al peo-
pies. 1t is shocking te humanity
! that millions Of men and women anil
/ children lack the food and noul ish-s
ment which makes life endurabie
The governments and peoples
which we represent would he glad to-
cooperate without thought OF puiifN
( cal military or financial adyantagsi5
( in any proposal which would relieve
this situa tion in Russia
/ 1t seems to us that such r0ni-
mittee as you propose would offer II
ficent results YOU have In view could
not, either in its conception or iss
operation. be cons dereu rs havinsss
! any other aim than the hunanitar4ass
purpose OF saving life
There are great difficulties TO be
overcome, political difficulties respects
ing the existing situation in Russia
and difficulties of supply and trans-.
port, but If the existing local govern
arc as
governments and people whom Wss
represent. TO see sGecor and reliNts
given 10 the stricken people OF kusss
STA, no political obstacle viii rerlattLf
There will remain, however. the
difficulties OF supply, finance aHsf
transport which we have mentioned
and also the problem of distribution
in Russia Itself. The problem OF Sup
ply Ne can ourselves hope TO so1vag
u Connection with the advance ana
cooperation OF such a committee ~
YOU propose The problem OF finassg y
would seem 70 us to fall upon this
Russian authorities The problem x,f
transport of supplies TO Russia We cay
hope 10 meet with the assistance uf
. ycur own and other neutral govern-
ments whose interest should be a.
, great as our own and whose lossex
have been less. s
TT To RUSSIA 49,.
.-a-Nl he problem OF transport in kus-
~. .ad dis ,rihution can lie solved only
~ the neupte OF Russia themselves.
, With The assistance. advice and SUPP
= crNlsion of your own commission. sub
= !4ct to such supervision, the prOhfeN1
O distribution should be solely undnA
p the control of the people OF RN1et4
! themselves.
The people III each locality sh0ui4
! be given. as under the regime uf In
!. Belgium relief commission. the fullest
/, 1 opportunity to advise Your Commits
" sion upon the methods and the pAGs
sonnet by which their community IT,
to he relieved. In no other cirCmM&&
stances could it be believed thai u
; purpose of this relief was hnusaA[k
i tarium and not political. EndNF
$ other conditions could it ba cott&I
u that the hungry would be feds
That such course would inx04&
Il the cessation of all hostilitteS WttM{
e definite lines in the territory cf Gr
8 s.a is obvious sysSs
y And the cessation OF hoal1t1o
e would necessarily involves 81 n(1
4 plete suspension of the trsknK&
$ troops and military materaAlG
sorts 10 and within Rus1aax
tory. M
: + N