The Benson signal., 1919-03-29
HOOVER FACES TASK OF FEEDING
STARVING NATIONS OF EUROPE
Backed by $10000000o Voted by Congress He Is Directing
Americas Part in the Wor-Trusted Aids Make Personal
Inspections of Food Situation in Poland Serbia
and Austria-Dihicut Problems to Solve.

ties OF all kinds, especially textiles.
have been dangerously depleted and
on account of the short production OF
coal the railways of the Austro-Hun-
garian states are badly crippled Hav-N,
ing efficient railway transportation Is
an important factor in moving FOODS
where they are most urgently needed.
Anything for the Czechs must pass
through what is left of Austria proper.
Austria-Hungary has been divided
into five Separate political areas. Tay-
Tor believes that this action has for
the time being greatly reduced the re-
sources Of -all this territory Each
state sets up barriers against the 9TH
ers. He found the food distribution
and supply which formerly was mat
ter Of exchange among the separate
states almost at standstill. One sec.
ton will have coal, another some SUI
gar, another some grain, but each un-
able to "carry on" because of lack of
what the others have. In such sit
uation, one state, inefficient, and with
| it's financial system paralyzed, will
have plenty of coal, but no food, while
another having some food cannot dis
tribute it because it's railways have
no coal.
All of which causes such general un-
employment as to approach the dam
ger point.
In the essentially Austrian lands,
there is a condition Of apathy. No one
seems to have hope. The people wait
and in Vienna make an attempt at
gaiety. OF industry there is none. In
/ Jugo-Slavia and in Czecho-S Slovakia
there is an entirely different psycffol-
ogy. These liberated people have faith
in the future and are reaching out
and struggling to build up prosperous
nations, while the German-Austrian
peoples drift along in an apathetic
state, >and the Hungarians live in a
daze Of proud resignation. Galicia
and eastern Hungary, that have been
taken over by Roumania, have become
voiceless.
Doctor Taylor found the food short
age most serious in German Austria,
where the people are on a very low
daily ration with extremely short sup
plies in stock, or in sight.
In Czecho-Slovakia there was suffi-
cient food to carry the nation through
the worst of the winter, but short
age before the new harvest was inevi-
table.
Austria a-Hungary-with fatalistic at
titude-seemed unable to start recon-
struction; not knowing and scarcely
ical bitterness and financial paralysis
completed the picture.
Out Of this chaos, as director gener-
al Of the supreme council of supply
and relief, Hoover must find some
method for distributing American food
stuffs.
Feed Him Before He Faints.
For the new nations, the Czecho-
Slovaks and the Poles and Jugo-Slavs,
that have no money, the scheme for
selling American foods on credit is
simpler.
Should any emergency arise in these
countries demanding the prompt dis
tribution Of food, it will be distributed
on the principle of ''feed. him before
he faints."
The communities or nations must
pay. Where they have no money-and
the new democracies have little or no
money worth anything. outside their
own borders-the food commission will
take over some commodity produced in
the nation.
Some time must elapse before the
Americans can trade with Austria even
on the basis of getting money or its
equivalent for every pound Of Ameri-
can-bought food that is distributed. be-
cause Austria was one of the nations
against which America declared war.
Until the blockade is lifted American
i interests cannot trade with the Aus
trians-unless perchance the situation
develops to a point where red tape
must be cut to save the lives that 9TH
Lerwise would be lost on account of the
inroads of famine.
While the peace conference was
building up machine to settle prob
lens arising from. War-torn Europe,