The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-12-12
GERMAN RELIEF
NOW IS OPPOSED
PROPOSED APPROPRIATION OF
$685. 0o,0 600 is DECLARED TO
BE UNNECESSARY.
FOOD PLENTIFUL OVER THERE
BY EDWARD B.. CLARK

gress il an attempt is made 10 au
thorize an appropriation of 10000
100 to feed the hungry in Germany.
The opposition will spring not from
4 desire to see anybody go hungry, but
from a seeming belief in many quar-
.efs that Germany is able to feed IT'S
1wn hungry and that the proposal 10
appropriate the millions was prompt
ed not only by American politics. but
by tle desire of the German govern
ment to help its plea that Germany
cannot meet the reparations demands
When the proposal to ask congress
to appropriate $3.50 1000 for relief IN
Germany first was made there was
little opposition to it because IL
seemed on the face of 1t to be such n
purely beneficent and proper measure
Now letters have come from Germany
written by men who are in no sense
anti-German, which state thai me
granaries of the land are bursting
that there is plenty of o for every
body, and that all that is necessary 10
feed all the hungry is to>provide Tor
a proper distribution of the food sup
plies.
Plenty of Food in the Country.
The hungry in Germany, as near as
Washington can learn through oilciai
and semi-official channels, are all city
jewellers. The country folk seem to
have all the food that they want ana
to. spare. Naturally enough the latter
do not want to part with their 1000
for German marks which are virtually
worthless. The money of a foreign
country, 1t is said, instantly would
move the German farmers to part
with their surplus products and so the
hungry in the cities could be fed as
the result of an American a%ppropria-
ton of millions for the purpose.
Recently there has been an intima-
ton that President Coolidge intends to
recommend the passage of an appro-
priation bill in behalf of the hungry
In Germany. Now it is said the Presi-
dent possibly may have another
thought In the matter. For weeks
there we're heard and read in Wash
l0HIOl lnIluil1tI uDlt luitS Va ioOp
troubles in the cities of Germany.
Everybody took 1t for granted that the
plea for help was straightforward and
that tile people over there were I'M
able TO help their oWn Within a week
or two direct counter reports have
come and now opposition to the pro-
posed appropriation by the American
congress rapidly is developing.
1t is held here by those who stand
in opposition to the appropriation that
the desire to help the hungry of Ger
many, if they need help, would be
stronger than that TO help the hungry
of some other lands, for the sole rea-
SOL that 1t is the American way to for
get that people have been enemies and
to be the more willing to help them
because of the sentiment and the heart
feeling which prompts men to do for
those who in the past have been ac-
counted enemies.
Politics in the Plan?
This plea for an appropriation In be-
half of Germany perhaps curiously
enough has aided the cause of the ex,
| service men who are seeking the
passage of a bonus law. Many letters
have been written for publication, the
text of which has been pleas tina. II
this country can care for the foreigner
It can care for its own, and especially
If it can care for the foreigner who is
able to care for himself.
The charge has been made that there
is politics in this plea to congress for
an appropriation to feed the hungry
In the German cities. Nobody knows
whether this is true or not, but. of
course, the basis of the charge Is easy
enough to understand. There are con
stituencies in which the vote of per
sons interested in the success of the
proposed appropriation would count a
good deal in the election next fall.
Apparently nobody In Washington
desires to withhold the appropriation
If it is necessary. Those who OPPOSE
1t say directly, however, that there are
n few German industrialists who 1aye
millions upon millions of dollars tc
their credit in foreign countries and
| W llO, 1 lliIl AilhfJ1 tbklAt itGu ItlI
own hungry people. This, coupled with
the information which has cone from
Americans In Germany WHO are In nc
sense anti-German in their feeling
that there Is plenty of food in the
country which, If properly distributed
could feed all the people, seeningl,
has moved men hitherto unwilling
into the field of willingness TO oppose
the American appropriation.
Bonus Bill Seems a Certainty.
Recently some doubt was expressed
in letters from Washington as to tn,
success of the bonus bill in congress
Next year is a campaign year. Thing,
have come along rapidly. some thing!
not reckoned of in advance, and con
fessedly it now seems likely that tn,
bonus bill, or as it is called the adjust
ed compensation bill, will become TIN
law of tie land befora the %springtime
even if President Coolidge shall inter
pose his Il forbid"
The last word on the subject o
bonus legislation is that So senators o
the United States are pledged TO vot
to override the will of President Cool
idge in the matter II he shall vet