The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-08-30
RY !. N. S4

New York, Aug. s0.-J H. Wallis Dubuque, Ia., American Relief Ad- ministration representative who has returned after five months, survey of the Hoover organizations feeding op- eration in Central and Eastern Flu rope, expressed optimism yesterday concerning the economic and political future of the nations who owe their existence largely to the generosity Of the American people who contributed $29, 100000 during the European Re- lief Council drive.
 "In general, the aspect today of Central Europe and the Baltic is one of recovery he said. "The recovery is, perhaps, not as rapid as 1t might have been if men and nations had been ideally wise, but it is substantial and promising. Although in some places there are distressing condi- tions, it is entirely mistake to sup pose that Europe is sinking. The contrary is true- Europe is rising
 There are still some international wrangles, such as Upper Silesia and the Polish sh-Lithuanian dispute about Wilma, Austria, not yet adjusted to her new place in the world-order, is still suffering business stagnation. But economic conditions are improving, the economic barriers between states are being broken down by commercial treaties, the railway systems are get ting back to normality. Order has been restored everywhere. The re- sponsible authorities in all these countries are T0SpSCI6Q-
 My investigation in Central Europe and the Baltic took me into Austria, Hungary, Czecho-Slovakia, Germany, Poland, Idthuania, Latviaa and Els had the privilege of talking with the principal government officials, in- cluding Chancellor Wirth of Ger many: Premier Witos. of Poland; {; kia; President Haintsch. of Austria: Finance Minister Hegedus. of Hun gary, and the leading men of the Baltic republics. I also made it a prominent bankers and business men of the various countries. Beyond that. I have seen labor leaders, pres1- dents of universities, workmen, peas atns, refugees.
 T made it point to enter the homes of the poorest people in the cities and the huts of the most needy peasants in order to get the worst Of the picture as we'll as the surface view. It is true that there is still a great deal of hardship and cruel pow erty. I saw life in it's most distress ing forms in Vienna, in Budapest, in Warsaw, in Cracow, and in Wilma
 'I have seen people living in old dugouts along the old Russo-German line. In the eastern section of Pos land, in the belt which the Poles se- seen peasants who hade been driven into Russia in the great Russian re- treat returned to find their primitive log hutS gone or in a state of ruin. They are making a desperate effort to live, perhaps two or three families crammed into a shack that looked like a. ruined barn, without work ami [ mals, milk caws, pruper agricultural implements.
 .tThe principal element of food which they were able to get them selves when I was there was a grass from which they made a deadly-look- 4~1I f0y was improved then because the grass was longer. But even these people, and more especially their children, were reached by the American Relief Administration.
 Perhaps most Americans do not entirely realize the manifold and , ramifying effects-the vitally import ant effects-or the vast feeding op- mfnistration. The first thought Is. naturally, that millions of children ! have been saved from death, disease or permanent weakness by the great operation which has covered thirte en ! countries fed at different times prob ] ably 1o,O0O,OoO children, supplied, roughly, a billion and a half meals and expended over a hundred million ! dollars. But, in saving these chill I dren, there have been other effects of ! far reaching importance, economic i ally and politically. Among these : collateral effects may be mentioned
 
 The spreading of Boshevism in | Central Europe and the Baltic, the tendency to political violence, anarchy and chaos, have been effect ! lively checked in a very large meas ure by the feeding operations of the American Relief Administration.
 '"The sovereign importance of the ! child has been Impressed upon those | countries by the American Relief op- ! erations with such force that the chil- | dren of many European countries are assured, forever, better care and i more beneficent rearing than has i ever been the case in the past or ! would ever have been the case in the ] futur. Effective methods of child help have been fought. Out of this fwork, in practically all the countries I in which it has been conducted, are being created permanent organiza- tions, usually affiliated with the gov ernment, for child-welfare work.
 The people of some of the coun- tries served have been taught organi- zation, cooperative, se1freliance Ebusiness methods. In every country