The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1928-11-01
And What He Has Done

Was born the son of the village blacksmith at
West Branch Iowa; left an orphan at the age of
seven; earned his own way from the time he was
thirteen
Worked his way through Stanford University at
PalO Alto, graduating in 1895; after serving a
short engineering apprenticeship in this country, he
accepted chance to go to West Australia.
Spent several years chief engineer of large
mining ventures in Australia and China; was
caught with Mrs. Hoover in the Boxer seige of
Tientsein, where he organized his first food
lief, distributing ratiOns to beseiged Europeans
and friendly Chinese
At thirty had become of the worlds fore
most consulting engineers. with offices in the
United States and abroad.
Went to London in 1914 i'm the interest of the
Panama-Pacifc Exposition, held in San Francisco
the following year; organized the relief committee
which aided 10000 Americans stranded in Eu-
rope at the declaration of war.
American authorities i'm London asked him to
take charge of Belgian relief; under his direction
100000 innocent victims in the occupied
zones were fed through four years at a total cost
of $1,4OO, 100000.
Returned to L. S. at entry into the war,
became food administrator; secured the volun-
tary cooperation of producers and consumers in
stead of forced planting and ratiOnng effective in
Europe
Created L. S. Grain Corporation and Sugar
Equalization Board, financed by the government,
protective measures to safeguard American pro-
dueers against the consolidated buying program
of the allies; maintained fair prices at home and
banned speculation and prOfiteerng.
Under his guidance exports of food to the allies
increased from 65OO,OOO tons to 21.OOO,OOO tons
per annum. American fOodstuffs valued at &c.
100000 900 were purchased and sold through the
food administration.
Farm products, at HOOyer's SUGGESTION were
purchased at prices determined by Independent
commissions representing the farmer. At the close
of the war, the entire capital used by the food
administration through its various agencies was
returned intact to the L. S. Treasury.
Went to Europe after the to induce the al
lies to permit enormous surplus of food accumll-
lated in this country to be sold to former enemy
nations. Succeeded after four months of discus
sion, maintaining wartime price of agricultural
products until the farmers could liquidate their
heavy lonas through sale of 1918 crops
Since the World War, has divided his time be-
tween great humanitarian service and extension
of the activities of the Commerce Department, of
which he the head for more than years.
Organized food supply service for central Euro
pean and liberated countries, assisted their rehab
iatiOn; 100000 destitute children fed dur
ing 1902 by the American Relief Administra-
ton, which Hoover organized and for which he
raised $8O,0OOOOO.
Went into Russia at the famine outbreak in
1921, fed 100000 people, saved hundreds of
thousands from death by disease
Recognized the Department of Commerce from
top to bottom; increased efficiency of every divi-
sion; built up foreign trade service aiding more
than 100000 merchants and manufacturers an
nually.
Reduced distress incident to postwar business
slump through national conference on unemplOy