The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1919-04-18
HOOVER FACES TASK Of FEEDING
STARVING NATIONS OF EUROPE
Backed by s1000OoO00 Voted by Congress He Is Directing
Americas Part in the Work-Trusted Aids Make Personal
Inspections of Food Situation in Poland, Serbia
and Austria-Dficut Problems to Solve.

BY LLOYD ALLEN,
Western Newspaper Union Staff Cor
respondent.
Copyright, Western Newspaper Union)
Paris.-Backed by $10O,O0O,OOO voted
by congress, Herbert Hoover is here
directing Americas big part In feed
ing the famine-threatened nations Of
Europe.
But 1t Is not the policy of Mr.. Hoov-
er's commission to give food away to
the peoples now so sorely pressed with
reconstruction problems. They must
pay-at once, whenever possible.
When they cannot pay, they are to be
given credit, with security that will
insure America against total loss.
Any other policy would mean the
pauperization of Europe, and Hoover
has no intention whatever of conduct
ing a commission that would quickly
put the millions Of Roumania, Poland,
and Serbia, to say nothing of the en-
envy nations, into a mighty bread line.
With this fundamental policy as the
basis OF conducting a gigantic relief
commission, Mr.. Hoover first of all
needed money and authority to start
the machinery. He had come to Flu
rope with s. ,O0O,OOO apportioned from
President Visions contingent funds to
finance such immediate relief work as
was found, upon Investigation, to be
absolutely necessary for the salvation
Of Europe's new democracies, the
Czecho-S lovaks, the Poles and Serbs,
and also the Roumanians.
Congress Votes 500, 100000.
When Hoover had had a chance to
look around, he discovered that So
100000 was just about enough to
finance food shipments for n of these
nations. He did not single out n ma
ton. however, but ordered cargocs ag-
gregating $15,OOO,0O0 rushed from the
United States at once.
He trusted the American people TO
provide the capital needed. And when
he got the first news of the final pas
sage of the 100000, 900 appropriation
In congress, an expression of relief
came into his face that had not been
there for weeks.
With a small staff, Mr.. Hoover has
headquarters In the Hotel de CrillOn,
In Paris, which has been turned into
a combination Office building and hotel
for members of the American commits
sion to negotiate peace.
g. NJ T-o, ,,n.t A.,,otnI
aides are making personal inspections
of the food situation In Poland, Serbia.
and Austria.
DR.. Alonzo Taylor's report from Vi
emma is very interesting. He found
the output of coal and agricultural
products In Austria-H Hungary seriously
reduced during 1917 as the result of
the war, and still further lowered dur
ing 1913.
Austria Hungary Badly Crippled.
AS a result of the war and the allied
food blockade, the stocks of commodi-
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-
ing efficient railway transportation Is
an important factor i'm moving foods
where they are most urgently needed.
Anything for the Czechs must pass
through what Is left of Austria proper.
Austria-H Hungary has been divided
into Eve separate political areas. Tay-
lor 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 a mat
ter of exchange among the separate
states almost at a %standstill. One sec
ton will have coal, another some SUI
gar, another some grain, but each I'M
able to "carry on" because Of lack OF
what the others have. In such a sit
uation, one state, inefficient, and with
Its financial system paralyzed, will
have plenty of coal, but no food, while
another having some food cannot dis
tribute 1t because its railways have
no coal.
All Of which causes such general nn-
employment as to approach the dan
ger point.
Austrians Without Hope.
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-Slovakla
there is an entirely different psychol-
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 a%pathetic
state, and the Hungarians live In a
daze Of proud resignation. Galicia
and eastern Hungary. that have been
taken over by Roumania, have become