Evening star., 1941-02-17
Hoover Suggests
New 6-Point Plan
To Feed Be|gians
IF Experiment Works
1t Con Be Extended to
Other Nations, He Says

BY the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, Feb. ia new ex-
perimental plan for supervised feed
ing of the Belgian people, and posi-
bly, persons in other German
invaded countries, has been sub
mitted TO the British and German
governments. Herbert Hoover said
last night.
The former President. speaking
over the Columbia Broadcasting Sys-
tenn in behalf of the Committee on
Food for the Small Democracies,
said the new plan was evolved to
overcome objections voiced by the
belligerents in the rejection of previ-
Gus proposals of the committee.
Plan Could Be Extended.
"If we can make this experiment
work in Belgium" he said, then
such a plan can be extended to the
other democracies."
(The proposal has failed to per-
suade the British government to
relax its blockade in Europe, an
authoritative source in London
said today. The British author
tiles, this informant said, remain
firm in their view that food from
the outside would only postpone
British victory. The reports from
occupied countries, he added,
show the Germans are looting
fields, granarieS and shops, and
leaving the people in many areas
In a wretched although not starv-
ing condition.
Qn Berlin. authorized Ger
mans declared that work of the
Hoover Committee could be ex-
pedited if Britain were willing. A
spokesman said that during the
World War the Germans did not
take (American supplies in
tended for Belgium, although
Germany was in desperate straits
in those days. Fortunately" he
added, Germany is well sup
piled now and is in no need of
taking succor intended for the
vanquished"
Plan Contains Six Points.
The plan as outlined by Mr..
Hoover, who heads a commission
European food shortages,
contained these six points:
l. That an initial experiment be
made in Belgium to test out whether
these people can be saved without
military advantage to either side.
2. That this test comprise feeding
only through soup kitchens, where
the people come to get their food
and thus there can be no question of
feeding Germans.
8. That at the beginning there be
provisions for 100000 adults and
2 100000 children. This would re-
quire about $4,000 tons of food per
one-half to be breadstuffs
and one-half meats, fats and food
for children.
4. That the German government
agree there is to be no requisition
of native food.
5. Both governments to give relief
ships immunity from attack.
6. The plan to be under the super
vision and checks of some neutral
body.
Nazis Could Secure Bread.
at is my belief that the Ger
mans should cooperate to secure
some breadstuffs from continental
sources" said Mr.. Hoover, who was
chairman of the commission for re-
lief in Belgium during the World
War. But for meats, fats and food
for children there are no sources
of supply on the continent. That
must come from overseas-and that
requires cooperation from the Brit
ish to pass the blockade"
He said that most of the democra-
cies needing food had cash resources
with which to pay for it, could Sc
cure its transport without using
American ships in the war zone, and
required no appropriations from the
United States Government.
Hunger Coming Faster.
Hunger in the present war Is
coming faster and with more vio-
lence than even in the last war"
Mr.. Hoover said. after a year and
a half of the present war nearly
O,00O,OOO more people are short of
food than after three years of the
last war Today nearly 3O0,00O,000
people are already on rations
eve are asked for aid to Britain of
dimensions. I believe
we should give to them generously
that aid, and including food. But if
that aid is to be given to preserve
free nations, have we not right to
suggest that these other free peoples
friends of America all of our ma
tional life-be allowed also to live?
"I sometimes think the world is to
couoI o,ro,-ufI,iyon ovponf