The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1920-01-13
Urges Congress toAdopt Glass
Plan and Provide $780,
100000 Food Fund.
WOULD MAKE 1T LAST
u. S. GIFT TO AUSTRIA
Charges Enormous Frauds''by Firms
and Individuals Sending Supplies
to Starving Peoples.
Herald Bureau.
No. .JO2 III street, n. W.,
WaAhfngt0n n r. MnnA.v

n.
Washington. ID. c., Monday.
Strongly urging Congress TO adopt the
recommendation of Secretary Glass, Secre-
tary OF the Treasury. to authorize .
fund Of sl5o.ooooo0 for food relief for
starving European countries, including
Poland, Austria, and Armenia, Herbert
Hoover, former Food Administrator, to-
day told the Ways and Means Commit
tee that it should be the last relief
afforded to Austria by the United States
ond that the nations responsible for the
present curtailment of Austrian territory
should assume this burden in the future
He also asserted that there is "enorrnoa,s
fraud" in connection with the operations
of various concerns and individuals
through the sale of food packages for for.
eign shipment.
These frauds crop out from time 70
time, through the sending of cash remit
tances' and also have been observed in the
operations of firms who sell food pack
ages to persons who send them TO their
families abroad" said Mr.. Hoover.
These firms undertake to deliver pack
ages or food and clothing. selling pack
49, D. A..
tents of which arc only worth 7"
Profit on Foreign Exchange.
Mr.. Hoover said that certain indfyid
uals were profiting on the sale OF foreign
exchange in the same way He told tho
Committee that money was useless where
there is no food to purchase and that
this was the situation in Austria, Hum
gary and many other parts OF Europe
II Is necessary. he said to send the actual
food he he
mended by Mr.. Glass. because il involved
the shipment of food by the Grain Cor
poration.
The Austrian situation is the worst in
all Europe" said Mr.. Hoover "and the
need for food in that country has become
so desperate that famous works OF art
now in Austrian galleries are being offered
as securities for food I feel that this
country could not accept them. for we do
not want to be made to appear as pawn
brokers
THE seat Of the trouble is the political
situation. AS the result Of conditions i'm
posed by the peace conference upon Aus
tria. the food producing lands have been
taken away from her and now she has
little hope Of being more than a perpetual
poorhouSo.
IF this political situation is 10 be mnde
permanent and Austria is TO become a
constant mendicant the United states is
not the nation that should be called upon
TO relieve her The nations which caused
this situation should take the RESPONSE
hility. The United States should how
ever, extend aid this one time TO Austria.
and at the same time serve notice upon
the world that ii is the last time she viii
do II.
Faces Denth or Migration.
Austria now faces three Alternatives
death. migra ton. or the crea ton Of new
industries. II would seem 10 me impossible
for any economic rehabilitation 10 take
place there under any circumstances. The
territory she has now will produce only
food enough for three months i'm each
year and her manufacturing industries
cannot produce enough TO exchange for
food"
Mr.. Hoover said that there were two
reasons why the United States should
extend aid at this time 20 Austria, Poland
Armenia, and the other countries named
by Secretary Glass:-first for humani-
tartan reasons and second TO help the
financial rejuvenation OF these countries
and ultimately make It possible for tho
loans which the United States has ad.
vanccd 10 them 10 be returned.
The British financial situation is I'm
proving" said MIR. Hoover. italian and
French prospects are not quite so good.
and certain countries in Northern Italy
may need help from us in the way Of
food relief. Belgium has recovered splen-
ddly, though she has not come back en-
tirely. Germany's case can be cared for
through the Preparations Commission. In
Bulgaria. Serbia Roumania, Russia and
Turkey there Is some surplus OF food.
Armenia must receive aid until the
question OF -nda.orles has hsen 'ecided
The peace conference has agreed that the
nation which assumes a mondate over Ar
menia must assume Armenia's food debts, -
The Poles are doing well. although theC
have 10000 men under arms a.ong front
OF approximately 1900 miles. IL this front
should collapse, the who financial struc-
ture of Europe would be shaken. There
is a good deal OF typhus there as well as In
Austria. Poland will need help until The
next harvest
Mr. Hoover said Il was folly to send
money TO these countries as a measure OF
food relief. since there was no food for
sale In Budapest alone. he said. private
and semi-public relief committees wers
feeding 5000 children.
Most OF the typhus. Mr.. Hoover said
originated in Bolshevist Russia. and one
measure taken to check il was to make
new clothes for typhus patients. or persona
threatened with the disease. He said that
600 Americans In the army had voluntarily
remained abroad TO help fight the typhus
and that they had !. 500 stations In opera
ton.
Great stress was laid by Mr. Hoover upon
the need of reducing starvation conditions
as n means OF checking social disorder
They arc inter-dependent he said and
hunger must he dealt with first, as other
wise IL is useless TO try and stop the other.