The New York herald., 1921-07-18
EUROPE Is RAPIDLY
REBUILDING ITSELF
Secretary of Friends Says Need
for United States Relief
Is Decreasing.

Special Despatch to THE NEW York HERALD
X. Thomas. secretary of the American
Friends Committee. has returned from a
two months survey OF food and general
economic conditions In Europe. with the
following statement of the situation In
Germany, France. Austria, Russia and
Poland:
Conditions In Europe have reached
the point which Justifies the reduction
of aid by the Hoover Relief Commission
and the American Friends by SO per
cent. But in Central Europe the situa-
ton is still precarious.
with the exception Of Germany the
nations are rapidly rebuilding their in
dustrfes. Lack OF raw materials. par
tfcularly cotton, handicaps Germany.
The need for children's clothing is acute.
The food situation has improved notice.
ably. and the crops are more abundant
BY the end Of the summer I think we
will be able to reduce our food distribu-
tion to practically nothing. At present
we are feeding about 100000 children
daily In Germany and Poland and about
100000 in Austria. With the Iessening
of the distribution In these countries
we will be able to give more attention to
Russia and the Ukraine.
II was very much impressed by the
Improvement of the general situation
In France. The people no longer need
assistance from us. The French indus
tries are rapidly assuming their former
proportions and agriculture has attained
the pre-war basis. Our efforts in
France are now confined to maternity
hospital work.
"Of all the European countries, Russia
and Poland are in the most deplorable
state. We are concentrating our atten-
tion on agricultural work. Large Amer
lean tractors have been furnished and
the land Is being ploughed under Ameri-
can direction. This is in limo with the
policy of assisting the Poles to get back
upon a self-reliant basis and to enable
them to bring their own food production
up to normal level. There is a great
work being done in the rehabilitation of
homes. Thousands of Russians and
Poles are living in holes In the ground,
reverted to most primitive conditions
because of absolute destitution in ma
terials.
in spite of all that one hears about
the Soviet Government, Russia Is to-
day upon a more stable basis than
1t was year ago. I believe that some
form Of the Soviet Government will ex-
ist in Russia for at least fifty years.
The Friends are the only foreign agency
that has been permitted to enter Rus
STA. We have never had any trouble
with the Reds, nor have they interfered
with the work of our warehouses. The
secret of our success in that country is
that we have avoided intruding into poll
tics and have maintained firm policy
of non-interference.
'High prices due to the low rate of
exchange are the bane Of Europe. With
wages very low and children starving
prices continue to rise. This is becaus.
American money is so dear. 1t Is for
tunate that the United States adopted a
new immigration law. Everywhere l
went was eagerly questioned about the
opportunities in this country. Tnero
would have been a veritable flood of i'm
migration had not the restrictive law
been passed.
Generally speaking conditions in Eu-
rope are not nearly 30 bad as has been
pictured by some relief agents"