South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-02-15
MUCH SUFFERING
AMONG AUSTRIANS
People Are in Dire Straits
for Food - 6. o. P.
Hampers Workers.
sreciaI to The News Tlmes

Special 20 The News Times
WASHINGTON. Feb. I4-Re-
ports are reaching Washington from
Official sources in Poland. Austria
and Armenia telling Of how babies.
children. women and men are
perishing by the hundreds. Warn
ing issued some time ago that IA
mine and starvation soon would
take their toll has been fully justl-
ned. Suffering such as was not
even endured during the war Is now
evident throughout these countries
and Just on the outside is the men
ace Of revolution. bolshevism an
archy and murder
These are the conditions now con-
fronted. The treasury through Sec'y
Glass and Asst. Sec'y Davis has pre-
sented 90 the house ways and means
committee the one suggestion for
relief that $4,000 900 be appro-
priatsd for loans 20 the countries
and that through these loans suffi-
cient food be obtained 10 prevent
actual wiping out OF the peoples.
G. o. Y. Blocks Progress.
The republican steering commit
tee in the house, however, has given
orders TO the ways and means com
nnittee not TO approve the proposed
appropriation at this time. For the
present the authorized program is
one OF delay. Ten days ago. IL was
shown 20 the ways and means com
mittee that relief must be gotten in
20 Austria in three weeks If the sit
uatiOn was &c be saved at ell and
the conditions were painted with
such terrible pathOs put in cold bus
mess terms by Herbert Hoover, for
mer food administrator. that mem
bers OF the committee prepare at
once for a favorable report. These
same members had entered upon
the committee hearings convinced
they could not approve the apDro-
riations and yet later they admitted
nothing else could be done
IL was shown in the hearing that
the appropriations could be justified
both on the grounds of military ne
cessity and humanitarian relief. Mr.
Hoover. Sec'y Baker. Gen. Tasker
Bliss, Sec'y Glass. Asst Sec'y Davis
and representative Of the American
Red Gross presented such a mass of
convincing evidence that the COM
mittee members announced they
were anxious TO get the proposals
before the house.
Four Men Give Orders
Then the republican steering COM
mittee stepped in Four men, Rep.
Frank W. Mondell republican floor
leader. Rep. Dunn Of New York,
Rep. Winslow of Massachusetts and
Rep. Madden OF Illinois. gave orders
that the appropriation should not
be approved The members or the
committee were not in sympathy
with this order but they had 10
submit Thus four men. without
opportunity TO have heard the evil
dence presented arbitrarily have
prevented for the time being at
least the relief work i'm Austria
70 Is now admitted by republican
that failure 70 appropriate this
bmoney cannot be justified on the
grounds or economy. once the
American people understand the
true conditions which exist. once
they learn that thousands Of babies
are dying every month and after
constant suffering from the pangS
of hunger. once they know that
mothers have been forced TO watch
and endure such suffering and know
they are unable 90 obtain relief the
members Of tho house. republicans
and democrats. insist the people viii
not permit the republican steering
committee dictation to stand.
-If the American people do. then
do not understand the American
people" said one member OF the
ways and means committee ct
think II the American people knew
Of the true conditions in those coun-
tries they would be willing 90 sacri-
ice from their own tables and give
from their savings i'm order 90 see
this actual starvation Of babies and
children halted. That IFS customary
of the American people
The action Of the committee has
stirred mp what amounts TO almost
q revolution I'M the house What
viii happen only the future can tell
but unless the committee permits
this appropriation TO go through. "a
cry viii go up TO the heavens FOR an
overthrow OF such dictauon.