The Washington herald., 1921-08-11
U.SRUSSIANRE;LIEF
DIRECTOR MAY GO
TOC CElEVAPA
Text Of Hooyer's Gable to
Switzerland on Pro- !,
posed Conference.

IN acknowledging an invitation
sent to all associations Interested
In. Russian relief to attend con-
fersnce in Geneva on August IS,
Herbert Hoover. head of the Ameri-
can Relief Administration. yester-
day made public the text Of cable
gram TO- former President Ador of
Switzerland who extended the invi-
tstions designed to obtain full CO.
ordination Of relief work. Mr.
Hoover's cable states: - 30. .-
: Il have the honor to acknowledge
your Invitation to the American
Relief Administration to send a rep
resentative to a conference of pri-
vate charitable bodies to be held at
Geneva on August Is for considera-
tion Of measures for relief of Rus
sian famine. The great concern
felt by the American people for the
suffering in Russia is evidenced by
their general approval Of the initia-
tive already taken by this associa-
eSA ohQ.A oAh SUI thdI khCy
wish the American Relief Admins
tratfon to support and cooperate
In every substantial effort which
can be made by other nations to
further relieve the situation. This
association will. therefore endeavor
to send their representative to Ge-
neva. although the notice IL short
and our European directors are en-
route to Riga.
- Must Face Real Issues.
"If this discussion Is to become
Of fruitful result IL seems TO me
that we must frankly face the real
issues involved.
"First-That the famine in Rus
sia is of an extent entirely beyond
the resources of all the available
private charities of the world espe-
eially in these times Of economic
hardship.
-Second-Even were funds avail
able for food. the relief OF Russia
involves the rehabilitation of trans
portation of agriculture and OF in
dustry necessitating measures again
beyond the reach Of charity.
'Third-That the causes OF Nhs
SuCH lHSy VIII DC
recurrent every year until there 10
much further change in the eco
nomic system OF Russia
. Private Charity Needed.
"On the other hand, / am con-
Vinced that private charity should
not be remiss in saving all the ives
1t possibly can thus to mitigate the
situation so far as humanity possible
The available charitable funds In
America for this purpose have been
subscribed almost exclusively for
children and for medical supplies
and we have. on the assumption
of satisfactory arrangement with
the Soviet authorities, already ini-
ttated large shipments to savs as
many children as our resources will
permit. We can also secure some
support TO adults.
1T appears to me that in dis
cussing coordination Of charitable
must be borne in mind that pru-
vision of private charity carries with
1t an obligation for distribution and
Administration. the responsibility of
which cannot be delegated. nor can
the responsibility involved in the
in famine areas be
carried on with any degree of EN-
cheney and discipline in the hands
of mixed boards. Moreover, 1t Is
my belief that the experience OF
the past seven years has fully
equipped each nationality with ex-
perience and skill and that each
country Possesses men Of ample
knowledge Of special Russian con-
ditions.
Wants More Definite Faetn.
There can be no question as to
the desirability of coordination Of
the work of the different national
associations. 1t appears to me thar
the basis of such coordination
should be: % The determination
Of a specific number of children or
adults or the special branch of re-
lief, the financial burden Of which
would be positively undertaken by
each association. ,(2) The assign
ment of particular worp mr. s1aso