Evening star., 1940-12-09

OH lllSlOlN lldNC dlW dyo
been treated humanely as the nom
combatants.
Thus a canvas of official and un-
official Washington would reveal
that there are few defenders of
the proposal to feed the starving
populations of Europe this winter.
The idea is summarily dismissed as
one that would aid Germany and
her armies.
The latest suggestion made by the
newly created National Committee
for the Five Small Democracies will
not be so easy to brush aside. 1t
is that limited supply of not more
than two weeks food be permitted
to enter the conquered territories at
one time, and that if the food is not
allowed to 60 to its destination and
be eaten by those for whom it Is
intended, the rest of the supply be
Immediately cut off. 1t is estimated
that two weeks supply for the
small democracies would mean, II
confscated in its entirety by Ger
many, not more than two or three
days for Germany. and hence could
not prolong the war very much.
Sees Hardened Attitude.
But it is the hostile approach to
ali humanitarian proposals which
Is becoming significant of hard
ened attitude here and elsewhere in
America toward the war in all its
phases. One would think from ap-
pearances that the United States is
an active belligerent, that it has only
hate in its heart for one set of
peoples and sympathy for the other
set of peoples. and that the nations
ground between the two major bel
ligerentS of the war can be aban-
doned to their fate.
While there are great many per-
sons in the world who have per-
ennially regarded with cynicism the
maxim about loving thine enemy,
there are many others who have
perceived in the exercise of human
kindness and even benefaction to
opponents certain glimmer OF
sense that sometimes brings about a
reconciliation and ultimately the
ending Of a dispute.
During the last war the American
people helped to feed the Belgians
even though the latter were under
the German yoke and all their terri
tory was under the authority of the
German Army Then, too, the
blockade was important to Britain,
but at that time Herbert Hoover
led the construction movement
which fed the Belgians. Today Mr..
Hoover is the leader Of similar
movement to help non-combatants
by furnishing food to the starving.
Innocent Will Suffer.
There is no certainty that the
Germans would permit neutral
organization to conduct the feeding
operation and no certainty that the
British would allow food ships to
go through the blockade, but it is
quite certain that unless some con-
crete plan is brought forward and
tested out in both Germany and
Britain many millions of innocent
persons will suffer this winter.
The humanitarian impulse has
always been strong in the American
people even during war. The Amer
lean Red Cross has during this very
war succeeded in getting food and
clothing to the people of suffering
Poland. 1t took a good deal of time
and red tape to arrange, but the
American Red Cross, with its own
agents on the ground, saw to it that
the aid went to the Poles and not
the Germans.
While there can be no doubt about
the desire of large number of
Americans to see the Nazis beaten
because they have violated all the
rules Of humanity, public opinion
has by no means become acquainted
with the implications of a refusal
on Americas part to use her in
fluence to alleviate the millions of
persons in Europe who have lost
their homes and their possessions
and have no means of livelihood.
Brotherhood Is Ignored.
1t has often been said that Chris
tianity-not necessarily as it is pro-
fessed in some parts of the world
today-but as it was originally con-
ceived, is a counterpart of democ-
racy and that in this very period in
history both are at stake. Yet in
America, where the devastation of
war is unknown, there is no pre-
ponderant expression by church.
men or laymen, for that matter.
designed to apply the principles of
human brotherhood to the unfor-
tunate peoples of Europe.
The usual argument made is that
to feed even the innocent will mean
prolonging the war by permitting
food to be diverted to the armies
Against this is registered the answer
that some day peoples abroad must
be looked to for the overthrow of
dictators and that if the richest
democracy in the world with its
abundance of food comes to the
rescue it would be an evidence to
the oppressed peoples of Europe
that economic restora ton can be
expedited in other directions only by
getting rid of authoritarian govern
ments.
This philosophy helped to under
mine the Kaiser's government in
the last war and it saved Germany
from immediate collapse and boil
shevism in 1919 Had the same
humanitarianism been extended in
aid of the first German republic
HltleriSm might never have been
born. For these reasons the feed
Ing of the millions of men. women
and children of Europe becomes a
paramount approach to the develop
ment of new forces that will even
suallY help to end the war and