The Washington herald., 1921-05-24
AMERICANRELIEF
: GIVES AUSTRIANS
SEIF-HELPLESSON
British L e a d e r Praises
Results of. H0over's
Efforts in u. s.

LONDON. May 2s.-That the work
OF the American relief administra-
tion. headed by Herbert Hoover,
secretary of commerce Of the
United States, in feeding the chill
dren of central Europe is appre-
ciated by leading European author
tiles on prevailing conditions Is In
dicated by a statement issued by SIR
William Goode. Sir William Goode
holds the important post Of presi-
dent of the American section Of the
reparation commission. He was
formerly British director of relief
for Europe. 1t was Sir William
Goode who raised sec, 1000, 900 IN the
British Empire for relief in Bel
gium.
Aids Future Generations.
Sir Williams statement. which
lays stress on the permanent con-
structive social and political effect
Of the child-feeding by the Amer
lean relief administration, follows:
TN harnessing the humanity OF
America in magnificent effort to
avert wholesale sacrifice of chIlo
life. Herbert Hoover has fulfilled
his purpose in directions which,
perhaps. even he did not foresee.
Every allied official who has been
in Austria knows that the growing
generation and the generations
that are to come will owe largely
to the A. r. A. such constitutions
as they may possess.
ha
result of humanitarian effort, every
allied official knows that the A.
r. A. is the one organization which
has taught Austria the practical
lesson of self-help. By compelling
the municipal and educational au-
thorities throughout the country to
live up to the best principles OF
childfeeding. the A. r. A. has in
itiated self-responsibiAty.
Ends Class Distinctions.
TN the villages of the Syrian
Alps / found proud abbots sitting
on committees with anti-clerical
butchers and carpenters. They had
been brought together. after CEN
turtles of class estrangement only
by the common cause of saving the
children and only under pressure
of A. r. A. efficiency and self-ef-
facement-
'In one little village panic
reigned. Scarlet fever had broken
out, and because of that the A Fl. A.
feeding stations. which invariably
was located in a school had ceased
to function. Every mother within
10 miles of that school was panic-
stricken for fear her child would
get no milk. Red republicans and
supporters of the Hspsburgs sank
their differeaces.
ChIIdren of First Concern.
The oldest nobility Of Europe.
for the first time in their lives, met
on equal terms their peasants ana
their shopkeepers, and discussed
with them in the Volksschule the
welfare of the village children And
out of these discussions as to the
distribution of A r. A. supplies,
there has come not only a mingling
Of the classes. but an unpolitical CO.
hesion which may go a long way
to solve the riddle of Balkan poll
tics. The far-thrown arrow Of
American generosity has uncon-
sciously established in the minds Of
these peoples the sovereignty of
the child"
1t will be seen from Sir William
Goodies statement land Sir william
is in as good a position to know as
any man in the world) that Amer
ica's charity to the children of CEN
trail Europe. distributed through the
great Hoover organization, is not
only saving the lives of children,
but is aiding in the solution of So
cial and political problems as wen.
Teaches People Cooperation.
Mr.. Hoover's insistence upon EN-
cient organization of the citizens
Of the countries served in distrib-
uting the food supplied by America
Is teaching these peoples co-opera-
ton. system, and methods OF
achievement. They are learning
their own capacities and powers.
They are also coming to appreciate,
as Sir William Goode points out. the
importance of the child. The Ameri-
can people may confidently feel that
the money which they so sener-
ously contributed for child relief
In Europe, spent through the
Hoover organization. is doing per-
manently constructive work. whose
value Is not to be reckoned in
money. which will endure for gem
erations and generations.