The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1940-10-24

tressed civilians in occupied coun.
tries would benefit Germany at
their expense. It Is necessary to
view the situation effectively to
appreciate the obstacles in the way
Of the humanitarian relief task
which former President Hoover Is
eager to undertake.
The Department Of Agriculture
concludes that continental Europe
as a whole does not face famine
this winter. But, unless there Is
an equitable distribution of avail
able. supplies, the people Of some
countries will experience severe
pangs Of hunger.
The situation in both occupied
and unoccupied France, 1t is said,
will probobly be serious" and in
many localities there may be acute
distress" The people Of Norway,
Belgium and Poland in particular
are likely to suffer severely, not
only because Of food shortages but
also for want Of purchasing power
due to industrial dislocation. The
outlook for Denmark and the Meth
erlands is reported to be less
gloomy.
Deficiencies have been aggravat-
ed by the requisitioning of food and
livestock by the German occupying
forces. Furthermore, food has been
shipped from the occupied areas
into the Reich, while there are no
indications that significant food
supplies have thus far moved from
or through the Axis countries into
distribution channels of western
Europe"
In short, food passed through the
blockade would replace food which
Germany has failed to supply or
has taken for her own use. If
some way could be devised to as
sure German restitution Of seized
supplies and willingness to abstain
from further inroads upon the mea-
ger reserves Of occupied territor-
les, British opposition to entry
of foodstuffs might be overcome.
But Mr.. Hoover's mere statement
Of the problem creates grave doubts
as to the possibility of effecting
any arrangement that would salts
fly the British, even If Germany
should prove Unexpectedly recep-
tive to approach.
America and Japan
According to reports from Toyko,
the first reaction in Japan to news
that the Department of State has
advised Americans in the Far East
to send their families home was
one Of decided unbelief.
That action, like Britain's move
in opening the Burma Road and
the less important but nonetheless
revealing move Of the Department
of Agriculture in suspending wheat
export subsidies benefiting the
Orient, does not fit into the pat
tern Of Japanese anticipations.
Japanese leaders apparently be-
lieved that the United States and
Great Britain would be cowed by
the new Observation-Disclosures
alliance. The policy Of appeasing
Japan has been tried and found
wanting. Great Britain closed the
Burma Road last July in the hope
that it would keep Japan satisfied
for time. It did not. It led only
to further territorial aggrandize-
ment by the island empire.
The United States, while repeat
edly protesting Japan's infringement
Of our interests in the Far East
permitted Japan to buy unlimited
quantities of oil, scrap iron and
other war essentials in this coun-
try. The reward for having pursued
this velvet-glove policy was Japan's
conclusion Of an alliance with Ger
many and Italy, which is specific
ally directed against this nation.
We are now under notice from the
Axis powers and Japan that they
will wage war on us when and If it
suits their convenience to do SO.
The United States clearly has no
desire to go to war with Japan.
Nor has Great Britain. But, there
are powerful elements or new ag-
gressions, regardless of what the
United States and Great Britain
think or do about it.
The situation calls for cool re-
Election on both sides of the Paci-
fic. The United States has taken
a firm stand. At the same time,
our Far Eastern policy must be
kept in a proper relation to our
policy in the Atlantic and the stat
US Of our armament program.
japan must be made to realize
that the United States will not be
inundated by threats or buster.
It is equally important for this
country to refrain from belliger-
ent gestures that would merely agi-
tate the war lords Of Japan with
out improving our own position.
Here Rests in Honored Glory"
Many World war veterans en-
route home from the American
Legion convention in Boston stop
ped over in Washington to pay
homage at the tomb Of Americas
Unknown Soldier. They read the
simple inscription on the marble
monument. Here Rests In Honor
ed Glory An American Soldier
known But To Cod" and felt that
those few words told the whole
story. Delegates to the Military
Order of the World War Conven-
ton held special services at Airing
ton and Father Duff, Navy Chap
lain who accompanied the casket of
the Unknown Soldier from France