The New York herald., 1920-01-25
A Bankrupt Nation.

ventures which run the thread of romance
through it,
A Bankrupt Nation.
When a great business breaks there is
usually receivership pending reorganization"
he said discussing the original assignment that
took him away from the li4th Field Artillery
Regiment with when .he went to France-a
volunteer organization raised by Captain Greg
ory, Peter b. Kyne. Stewart Edward White
and other prominent Caifornans when the
United States went into~the war. Where the
business consists of empires involving millions
of people and where the breakdown is not only
financial but political and social well the
complexity of the problems involved propor-
tionately increases.
when Herbert Hoover landed in Paris
shortly after the armistice he visualized the
probable effects of the disintegraton OF Cen
trail Europe and it's susceptibility to the power
ful and spreading Bolshevstic movement IN
Russia on the east and to the German Spar
tacist activity to the west He knew the food
situation Of the world in general and of the
European nations in particular and immedi-
ately came to the conclusion that. in order to
avoid an utter political and social debace in
Europe and save it from the penetration and
a subsequent Red amagamation which would
challenge own social and political concepts
it was necessary to provide food to prevent
starvation and to start from dead centre the
economic machinery which had ceased to func-
ton.
But it was not all clear sailing for MIR. Hoover
as Captain Gregory pointed out. Our allies
we're not oblivious to the political benefits
,ioh, IN Of
controlled the distribution of Americas prov
ender hut all we're willing that Uncle Sam
should carry the bag Each had purpose
which was nationally selfish and soroe frankly
admitted it. Consequently, Mr.. Hoover had
to wage a long fight before he gained his oh
ect. which was to maintain a personal and
American control of the situation. playing
favortes. hut getting the greatest efficiency
out Of the job by forcing every ono. friend and
foe alike. to contribute much he could
toward the general purpose-and incidentally
eliminating opportunities for conversations"
notes and resultant delays.
"Hoovcr's idea" said Captain Gregory. was
that while the necessary food was going in we
should try to minimize the amount o. the IN
,entc and American expenditures by forcing
10 tho limit the resumption OF economic activi-
Ties and the interchange Of commod'tie what
oyer they were and wherever thcy happened 10
be- within the whole Of Central and southeast
crn Europe. Thus it happened that /
nitchforked into tho middle Of the moss with q
very clear conception Of what was to try TO
do hut with very Tito idea Of tho actual con-
ditions under which the task was 70 bc accom-
plished
Hats OFF to Frover.
By virtue e., Nj Io. ',r's nl..ng won his
point and kept ID, distribution Of American
food in American hanGs. at any ;.ne there was
a call for the exercise OF strong ccercive au-
thority by the Gnter-Allled Mission the other
members found themselves occupying purely
ornamental positions except their individ-
ual force OF personality counted Captain
dregory held the club
Sketchine the general situation existing in
the former Hapsbure Empire when he ar
rived at Vienna. Captain Gregory said
with the destruction of the old Austro- Hun
garian monarchy by the various revolutions
and Me taking over. by the Czccho-Sovaks
Of the republic containing Bohemia. Moravis.
Lower Sfesia and Slovaka: by the inclusion
of Gslicia in Poland. by the loss of Trsnsyl-
vania to Eoumania. and of the lower part of