The Washington herald., 1920-02-19
HOOVER GETS
FORUM MEDAL
Former Food Administrator
Hailed as Great American
By New York Society.
EULOGIzED BY HUGHES
Honor in Past Years Went
To Bell, Goethals and
Edison.

New York. Feb. IS--The New
York Civic Forum presented a gold
medal to Herbert Hoover tonight at
Carnegie Hall. The award was
made to him as the American who
has performed the most distinguish
ed public service in the past two
years. Previous awards of the
medal have gone TO Alexander Gra-
ham Bell. Gen. George Goethals and
Thomas, Edison.
Americas humane sentiment was
ably personified by Herbert Hoover
long before the United States en-
tered the war. said Charles Evans
Hughes. There was no hint of pol
itics in Mr.. Hughes address. His
remarks were confined to a euolgy
OF Hoover's achievements in Amer
lea and Europe.
Hoover. he said. was the one man
for the development and control of
the food resources during the war,
and to this task he brought the
best ability He lauded his Amer
icsnism, pointing out that it has
been shown in his every deed and
utterance. and remarked that his
achievements established that pres
tice of the American name abroad
which none Of the failures Of diplo-
macy can obscure, and his name
remains untarnished.
Tribute to American.
He said:
We have met to pay a deserved trib
ute to an American OF rare distinc-
stion. The nature or the tribute Il in
itself most Unusual. Ii is our happy
privilege TO express our appreciation
of the service of a living personality.
nne who is with us in the Nigor Of
middle life. rich i'll the promise of
future usefulness. We are here to
recognize achievements in the crisis
OF war but we have no military Or
naval honors or governmental recog-
milton TO bestow. However, We are
not unreprese ntative. We are seek
ing IT, give expression to the thought
of the plain people Of America and
without reference to class. without
regard to party or to politics. We are
gathered in the publ interest to
ncnor great civilian hero CT the
world war
when tine ruthless invasion Of Bel
gium at the outbreak Of the war
created an unparalleled exisency.
theIe was one man in Europe who
had the talent. the experience, the
character and the enterprise to meet
IN" emergency. and that man was
Herbert Hoover.
Lasting Honor.
1t il To the lasting honor Of our
country that this man. born aud
trS ned to meet this crisis. was an
fnei Icau. Ills wnols p-t.,4,a
IN its aiertneSs. its speed. IL sSR-
q a. wa typicalIy American. He
baa toe complete confidence Of TO. =
E'gn coyCrnmentS. who intTu.ts6 In
h'm Natt sums without audlt or
-suoc. Sisi"n Of expenditure. His al
hthi<t alton Of relief on this cuIos-
e! scale 10y the benefit OF the peo-
PIE Of Belgium was conducted not
nEly without TeprUsGh but with sueh
efficiency that II challenged the ad-
miFRtiun Of the world. For Years
mi iiicns found their daily susie
'n9hcA only through his organized
Ininiztration
"firnt. Fearless and Adequate.
Long before America realized her
duty in the great struggle she was
PROFOUNDLY gratified that in the per
son Of Hoover her humane seuti-
msnt was finding expression in an
"rguniza tiun Of unsurpassed effekt =
ivrnes- for tine relief Of BeIgium.
Hoover. an administrator Of relief,
was a. once tiEsncier. diplomat anG
statesman. He ceme into contact
with the governments Of the allies
and with the despotism of the CEN
tral powers. At all points he was
ready. equipped. firm. fearless and
adequate.
soon becsme apparent that back OF
the organization of man-power
must be the organization OF equip
ment and supplies. and back Of
these the correlation. DEVELOPMENT
and control of the food resources
Of the country. There was hut one
man in sight for this most difficult
Of undertakings. and that man was
Hoover. II would have ben i'm
possible for any human icing. or
any conceivable group. to have
handled this gigantic undertaking.
TO the satisfaction OF everyone. But
no one doubted that to that task
Hoover brought the best ability
anywhere available.
Recognition by Europe.
And, later. Europe recognized his
pFt-eInlnenfe as an OH aniZeF in
selecting him to administer the vast
sum appropriated for feeding the
war-st-icken peoples. and as a
member of the supreme Economic
Council of the Allies
America contributed the service
of her best in the war. and no one
IS disposed To underes timote the
Importance Of all that was aC-
complished, the self-deniaI that was
evidenced. tive ability which was
concentrated in the supreme effort
10 bring the pOwrr of the United
states To- the relief of tine arms of
the Allies and TO win a speedy and
decisive victory.
But in the midst of men Of vaIor.
men Of cN optional talent. men Of
affairs. and those skilled in large
enterprises. there is one who stands
out with It unique reputation. be-
cause OF the rapidity with which
he was able to formulate wise plans