The sun., 1919-06-02
COMMERCE Big NEED
OF THE NEW STATES
Edgar Richard Corrects I'M
pressions About American
Relief Methods.
-
MONEY CAN BE SENT
Greatly Improved Banking
Relations Helping to I'm
prove Situation.
MONEY CAN BE SENT

Edgar Richard, Joint director of the
American Relief Administration, issued
yesterday a statement setting forth the
fundamental reasons why the admins
trstion extended its relief work to in
clude the Transmission OF money be-
ween the United States and the liberated
nations OF central Europe
He said an erroneous belief had grown
UP in many quarters In this country that
1t was necessary for foreign born Ameri-
cans to byy food here in order to trans
NIT money to their relatives and friends
the old country. He wished to make
1t clear there Is no compulsory purchase
of food required either OF the person
who sends money from this country or
the persons to whom II Is paid. The
American Relief Administration simply
eceives money orders through American
banks which are payable in the currency
Of the countries TO which they are sent.
The administration sends food In bulk
and does not receive packages OF food
for shipment.
The Intervention of the American
Government in Europe can be divided
into four distinct stages" Mr.. Richard
said. First, armed Intervention; second.
suggestion Of peace terms, which finally
led to the signing of the armistice third.
| supply of relief to the liberated coun-
tries; fourth. reestablishing of commerce
between the liberated nations and the
| outside world.
Each successive stage represents the
| natural advances beyond the preceding
stage. and all constitute a logical Sc
Quence OF overlapping steps.
Having drawn upon our stocks of
food in America and placed these sup
plies at the disposal Of the liberated
countries In order to meet their require
ments until their own harvests become
available, we shall not have fulfilled our
full obligations unless we make some
effort TO reestablish commerce. Com
| me rec Is fundamentally dependent upon
definite financial relations between coun-
| tries which hope to do business with
each other.
THE development OF the fourth stage
| OF American Intervention, therefore, has
its beginning In the scheme that has
been worked out by which the banks in
America are offered simmediate contact
| with the banks in the. liberated coun-
| tries through the medium Of the Amer
lean Relief Administration. Beginning
April 20. this new arrangement. afforded
| foreign born Americans the opportunity
| to forward individual money gifts or
payment of money to firms. individuals.
| institutions or relatives at home 1t was
expanded in May 30 that drafts could be
purchased on home banks and travellers
| could leave America with the satisfac-
| ton Of knowing that their dollars here
| had a definite value in the currency of
their own country.
at Is obvious that X would have been
impossible in tho early stages after the
armistice 70 set up any such banking
relations without the Intervention of the
Government and this was made possible
| by the relief work OF the American Re-
lief Administration in Europe But this
is merely r. stepping stone to permanent
| commercial arrangements and the for
! eigners in America are asked to support
| this exchange system now, as 1t repre-
sents the definite beginning OF financial
connections between this country and
the liberated nations.
while II Is chiefly represented at the
present moment in the transactions OF
! food. II will gradually be transformed
| into transactions covering other COM
| modities and lead to definite trade
relations. 1t is prohibited by law to
| send money by any other medium and
no ono of foreign birth can justify using
any other means for sending money l.,
| Ills relatives, as the support given by
| him TO the A. r. A. In this work is in.
direct support of his own Government,
| as we'll as that of the United States In