Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1922-06-17

Ten iof the New ork Herald the first
complete statement of Americas con-
tfi6ution to the food relief OF Europe
hat has ever been nude. He says In
nart:
With the entrance of American food
into Russia in the fall of 1921 Amer
icHn relief operations have travcrsed
the continent of Europe. The span
# these operations now covers eight
years. 1t is not yet possible to give
final figures on the mass of American
food supplies delivered to Europe.
The work done has. however, been of
such nature as to permit Il sum-
mary of operations and general
suggestion of the main expenditures
American food relief operations be-
gan in Belgium Immediately nj or the
'utbrea'I oi the war. 1naugurated as
= charitable and administrative I'M
,,ertalI"g while America was neutral,
American participation broadened
after our entrance into the war, and
rhenreforWard and until the signing
Of the peace, food relief for the allies
in Europe provided one of the main
avenues of American helpfulreSS IN
the war. After the war ended Amer
lean relief again became private
undertaking and has been so support
Ell by individual charity. supplemented
by certain governmental grants. to
This day. American food relief in Eil-
rope thus falls into three periods.
First-The period Of our neutrality
from August 1914, to April, 1917.
During this period the commission
for relief in Belgium was the instru-
mentality of relief.
Second-The period of American
participation from Anril. 1917 to July
1919. During this period the United
States food administration was the
official agency of relief.
Third-The period after the STEM
ing of the peace, during which the
American relief administration has
functionpd as the agency of relief.
with particular reference to the feed
ing of undernOurished children.
Covers Nearly All Countries.
During the eight years in which
American agencies have been con
cerned in the feeding of Europe relief
operations Lave extended into all
countries with the exception Of Nor
way and Sweden on the north Spain
and Portugal on the south, Switzpr-
tpf, md mil, f.nt
has been extended to Belgium as an
innocent victim of the war. to the al
lies as colleagues in the war and to
friend and foe alike, as well as TO the
new states of Europe after the close
of hostilities.
While this work has been carried
on under organizations with different
names, all of them have had a con
tinuing identity in that they have been
under the direction of one man-Her-
bert Hoover-who first invented in
ternational food relief on modern
lines
For purposes of the digest II may
be useful to distinguish between char
table contributions made by America
TO the feeding of Belgium throughout
the period of our interest and those
government grants from which came
the mass of the support.
Americas charitable contributions
began in 1914 and continued to 1920.
These We're both in cash and in kind
and were collected both by organiza-
the United States and by charitable.
individuals, foundations and national
periodicals. From various charitable
sources there went to Belgium from
the United States something like thir
ty million dollars (s3OOO0 0OO) in this
form. The exact figures cannot bo
giien for the reason that certain
donations were of combined British
and American origin.
Relief in Belgium.
Governmental subsidy to Belgium
falls into two periods. In the first
period, extending to the spring of
1917, support of Belgian relief came
from subsidies extended by the treas
ulitS VI NrIClt DIllulh
Together these amounted over the en-
tire period of five and half years
to something under $2O0OOO,00O. Dur
ing the second period, which begine
with Americas entrance into the war,
support of Belgium relief came al
most entirely from the United States
treasury. The total United States
credits to Belgium on this accoun!
amounted to S259,632 260.44.
While the commission for relief IL
Belgium was extending relief to Bel
GUM 1t was at the same time extend
ing relief to the occupied regions o
northern France. Total private char
ity extended by the United States for
the feeding of northern France
amounted to $5,0OO,OOO In addition
to this there was extended by thf
United States treasury to France TO-
the support of her occupied areas
between June, 1917, and March, 1919
the total credits of $127.0O0,000
With Americas entrance into the
war the whole relief front changed
The allies were exhausted and so ia
from being able to engage In PR
gram of extended relief themsclvC