Evening star., 1920-02-01
VOTES S5Q,O(Q,0DD
lASL0AN TO EUROPE
! FOR FOOD BUYING
House Ways and Means
COMMITTEE Responds to Ap-
] peaIS for Starving People.

Contrary to the majority sentiment
Of the republican Leaders on the steer
ing committee, the House ways and
means committee voted yesterday to
S3o.QoO,oOo to Europe with which to
buy food supplies in this country.
After successive attempts to in
crease these loans to Sl25 600, 900. then
to s10o.000.Q00 and finally to s75.000.-
600, but without success, six demo-
cratic members Joined with the repub
Slcans to make the vote reporting out
She measure unanimous by nineteen of
The twenty-four members of the COM
pnittee in attendance. The democrats,
however, reserved the right to make
still further attempt on the floor of
1he House to get the amount increased.
Will Urge House Action
Chairman Fordney of the ways and
means committee said he would try
10 get House action on the bill tomor-
row or Tuesday. if necessary asking
1he rules committee to give the meas
ure preferential status
The legislation will not specify any
countries which may receive the loans.
the committees deciding THAT the bill
would merely state that the relief
would go Ito populations in the coun-
tries of Europe or countries contig-
uouS thereto"
Tected. with the approval of the Treas
nry. to use part of it's funds in ad-
ministering the relief
In the report President Wilson's let
Ter favoring relief for Europe and
two communications from Secretary
Glass summarizing the famine situa-
ZION abroad were quoted.
Extract From Report.
IAN evidence furnished the COM
mittee." declared the report. seemed
clearly to indicate that literally mil
hons OF people in the stricken por-
tions of Europe are facing starvation.
and their only hope of relief is the
participation of the government of
the United States in the furnishing of
foodstuffs."
While the bill framed by the COM
mittee did not specify the countries
to receive the loans, the intention
was that relief should first go to
Austria. Armenia and the city of
Budapest.
The limitation of the relief to food
stufs was said to be an expression
of opposition to providing military
supplies. Clothing and medicine. bar
red by the legislation. could be sup
Piled if necessary, through private
charities, the committee held.
Action by the ways and means COM
mIttee followed a conference earlier
in the day between its republican
members and the steering committee,
at which steering committee members
expressed disapproval of any loans
on the ground that Congress had no
authority to give away funds, while in
the Senate both democrats and repub-
1icanS voiced opposition to additional
credits to any European countries.
Senator Walsh, democrat. of Mon
tana. said he was opposed to further
government financial aid to Europe,
because some of the nations now
owing this country money were
spending stupendous sums in military
q and naval preparations. Senator
pha1an CalffnrDfa ha
that European nations. particularly
Great Britain. were using money owed
to the United States to extend their
oil interests throughout the world.
Senator Smoot, republican, of Utah.
said the funding of interest payments
might be necessary in the case of
some nations, but it was not neces-.
sary for nations like Great Britain"