The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1919-03-28
By LLOYD ALLEN,
Western Newspaper Union Staff Cor
respondent. 8

g.
Western Newspaper Union Staff Cor
respondent. 8
Copyright, Western Newspaper Union.)
Paris.--Backed by $500 100000 voted
by congress, Herbert Hoover Is here
directing Americas big part in feed
ing the famine threatened nations OF
Europe.
But it 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 7 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 commission that would quickly
put the millions of Roumania, Poland,
and Serbia, to say nothing Of the en-
envy nations, into mighty bread line.
With this fundamental policy as the
basis Of conducting q gigantic relief
commission, Mr.. Hoover first Of all
needed money and authority to start
the machinery. He had come to Eu-
rope with $5,000,O00 apportioned from
President Wilson's 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-Slovaks the Poles and Serbs,
and also the Roumanians.
Congress Votes $1oo,ooo,o0o.
When Hoover had had chance to
look around, he discovered that So
100000 was just about enough to
finance food shipments for one Of these
nations, He did not single out one ma
ton, however, but ordered cargoes ag-
gregating $15OOO,0OO rushed from the
United States ut once.
= He trusted the American people to
provide the capital needed. And when
ne got the first news Of the final pas
sage of the s10O,OO0.OO0 appropriation
in congress, an expression of relief
came into his face that had not been
there for weeks.
With 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.
Some of Mr.. Hoover's most trusted
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 AustriaHungary seriously
reduced during 1917 as the result of
the war, and still further lowered dur
Tag 1913.
Austria Hungary Badly Crippled.
As result Of the war and the allied
food blockade, the stocks Of cOmmOdi-
ties Of all kinds, especially textiles,
trava been dangerously depleted and
nn account of the short production OF
coal the railways of the AustrO-Hun-
;nrInn states are badly crippled. Hav.
ri. efficient railway transportation Is
IN important factor Ia moving foods
Wtrrr they are most urgently needed.
Anything for the CZechs must pass
through what is left Of Austria proper.
Austria-Hungary has been divided
Ir,to five separate political areas. Tay-
lar believes that this action has for
Ne iimr l.ciug greatly reduced the re-
sources of all this territory. Each
>,Ate sets up barriers against the 9TH
F&. He found the food distribution
:';,d supply which formerly was mat
$50" Of exchange among the separate
states almost at Il stnndStill. One sec"
',s,n will have coal, another some s'l-
XIV, another some grain. but each I'M
sh',, Ia carry on" because Of lack OF
hat the others have. In such sit
lntinii. one state. Inefficient, and with
& irnnnrial system paralyzed. will
have }titnty of coal hut no food, white
;.t,"lh W having seine food cannot dis
,rihutn it because It's railways have
Nu cbal.
All Of which causes such general I'M
cmr!o, ,rvat rs to approach the dan
u.r p"iI,'.
) p. ,rians Without Hope.
IN thr essentially Austrian lands,
'Nsrr Is a condition of apathy. No one
seems to have hope. Tie people wait
md In Vienna make an attempt Mt
vaiety. OF industry there Is none. In
.,ugo~ Slavia and in Czccho-Slovakia
there Is an entirely different psychol'
t,.y. These liberated people have faith
IN the future and are reaching out
and struggling to build up prosperous
s,ations, while the German-Austrian
Peoples drift along In an apathetic
H!ate, and the Hungarians live In a
ta.ze of proud resignation. Galicia
and eastern Hungary, that have been
taken over by Roumnnia. have become
n,iceless.
Doctor Taylor found the food short
:,ve most serious in German Austria.
here the people ure on very low
Hfaily ration with extremely short sup
tiles in stock, or in sight.
In Czecho-Slovakia there was suffi.
'''ent food to carry the nation through
he worst of the winter, but a short.
age before the new harvest was inevi.