Evening star., 1921-07-30
IMMEDIATE o. S. RELIEF.
Could Send Aid 4S Hours After
Acceptance of Terms.

American relief for starving Rus
sian children could begin forty-eight
hours after Americans imprisoned or
detained in Russia were released and
out OF Russia. Secretary Hoover said
today. There could be no assurance
that the Americans had been re-
leased, he added. until they were out
Of Russia
Official word of a decision by soviet
authorities to release the Americans
way today. Mr.. Hoover was still
awaiting a detailed reply to his offer
of aid, transmitted through Maxim
Gorky. and the State Department had
Hughes recent demand that the
prisoners be released. Mr.. Hoover in
dicated. however that a reply such
as that described in press advices to
Riga, proposing negotiations for re-
lief measures on the basis of a de-
satisfactory under the condition he
stipulated. that the Americans actu-
ally were out of Russia.
Would Send Representative.
In that event. Mr.. Hoover said. the
American relief administration would
be willing to send representative to
Riga to take up with the Russian au-
thorities details of food distribution.
In the event Of satisfactory reply
from the soviet authorities complying
with the conditions of the relief offer,
Mr.. Hoover said the machinery was
ready for immediate operation. There
re relief storehouses in Riga and Danzis
and it would only be a question OF
transportation for the supplies to start
rolling into the Russian famine areas
The relief organization has been at
work continuously in Europe so that a
sufficient personnel could be mobilized
at Riga to handle the work on short
! notice. he said.
Food distribution could continue.
Mr.. Hoover said, by replenishing the
European warehouses from this
country as their stocks were de-
pleted. using the same machinery for
sending food overseas as has been
operated in the past
Red Cross Co-Operation.
Famine relief in Russia, Mr.. Hoov-
er said. could be handled directly by
the American Relief Association,
though the cooperation of the Red
Cross and other organizations would
be sought Considerable funds are
already available. he added. but the
financial details of such an under.
taking would be worked out after it
was known to what extent other or
ganiZations would aid.
The principal difficulty would be en-.
countered. according to Mr. Hoover
through the breakdown in the Rus
sian transportation system. Food
distribution among the children and
the sick would be limited to those
areas to which transportation facil-
tiles were available, he said.
Actual food distribution in Russia
fit is believed, would follow the gem
eral lines adopted by the relief ad-
ministration in other countries. with
administration workers in charge OF
stations where children would be fed
n CT nf h~
children would be thus insured, it was
believed, as they would receive and
eat their food at the huts and the
possibility of supplies being diverted
ito other purposes would be practically
eliminated.
Answer to Mr.. Hughes.
At the State Department some Off
cials believed it probable that the
soviet authorities might regard the
answer to Secretary Hoover as suffi-
cient answer to Secretary Hughes.
The State Department was said to
be ready to facilitate any relief
| measures. although there are now
no indications that the department
| will have any direct part in the ne
gotiations for which the Russians
have asked.
There was manifest a feeling at
the department that the soviet gov
eminent might attempt to utilize the
| incident to obtain the release of rad
icals held prisoner in the United
States.
The opinion more generally. ex-
pressed. however. was that the Rus
SLAMS, in the full realization of the
conditions wrought by famine and
economic failures. have decided to
release the Americans without stip-
| ulating conditions other than those
offered by Secretary Hoover. to i'm
prove the opinion in which they are
held in many countries
Hoover Aid Here.
1t was not expected that release
of American prisoners would lead to
any early negotiations for recogni-
ton of the soviet government by the
United states.
Edward Ricard of New York. chief
aid to Mr.. Hoover in the relief ad-
| ministration. was in conference to-
day with the Secretary. Problems
of Russian food relief were under
stood to have been discussed prelimi-
nary to an expected reply from the
| Russian authorities.
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