Evening star., 1945-05-27
Truman and Hoover
To Confer Tomorrow
On Feeding Europe
BY ]. A. FOX.

- II
BY ]. A. FOX.
President Truman is ready to
draw on the experience of Her
bert Hoover in the tremendous
task OF feeding Europe's desti-
tute millions.
The former President, a persistent
advocate of help for the victims of
the war, has accepted Mr.. Truman's
invitation to confer with him on the
relief problem, and will come to the
White House tomorrow, 1t was an
nounced yesterday.
So far as attaches could recall, the
visit will be Mr.. Hoover's first to
the White House since March 4,
1888, when he was succeeded by
Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Announcement of the impending
meeting brought speculation in Re-
publican congressional circles that
Mr.. Hoover, who was food admin
istrator during the World War,
might be offered an executive post
in the international food setup.
Headed Belgian Relief.
Charles G. Ross, White House
press secretary, announced the in
vitation to Mr.. Hoover, who came
into world prominence as head of
Belgian relief from 1915 to 1919. In
a statement dictated to newspaper
men, Mr.. Ross said:
THE President has invited former
President Herbert Hoover, now in
New York, to come down and discuss
the food situation in Europe. He
felt that Mr.. Hoover had inforna-
ton which would be valuable to
him.
'Mr. Hoover has accepted and will
be here at l0:30 Monday morning"
In New York. the Associated Press
quoted Mr.. Hoover's secretary as
saying that the former President
would 60 to the White House in
response to very cordial invita-
ton" from Mr.. Truman. She added
that Mr.. Hoover would have nothing
to say about his views on the
European food situation until he
had seen the President.
Experience Sought.
Since the war started, Mr.. Hoover
has been a congressional committee
witness on food problems, and there
have been demands from Capitol
Hill that use be made of his ex-
perience here
Senator Wiley, Republican, of
Wisconsin, who has urged that the
former Chief Executive be consulted
on the European food problem, said
yesterday after the forthcoming
visit was announced that "if Mr..
Hoover is asked to serve and con-
sents to serve in an advisory or
executive capacity in the interna-
tional food set-up, he may well re-
peat and surpass the miracle Of
relief which he achieved during
and after the First World War.
Senator johnson, Democrat. Of
Colorado commented that the Tru-
man-Hoover meeting is very en-
couraging."
mo one in the country knows
more about the job than Mr..
Hoover" Senator johnson added.
For more than three years, Mr..
Hoover has been bespeaking relief
for the peoples of lands overrun by
the Nazis, and as early as November,
1912, he asserted in a magazine ar
ticle that the United Nations should
start planning Immediately to care
for 500, 900 900 hungry when the war
ended.
Offered to Aid Lehman.
When Herbert H. Lehman was
named to head the United Nations
Relief and Rehabilitation Admins
tration soon afterwards, Mr.. Hoover
announced he had notified the for
mer New York Governor that he
would always be ready and glad to
help" If called on.
In a We address in New York
on May 8, the former President
urged immediate action to save
EurOpeS people, particularly tne
children, from starvation, saying
peace. prosperity and freedom will
not arise from stunted minds or
stunted bodies"
The preservation and rebuilding
of these children is far greater
contribution to freedom, to pros
perity, to peace than a hundred
signed documents" he said.
He made four specific recon-
mendations:
l. That UNRRA or the War De-
partment start a great stream of
food flowing to Europe within two
weeks.
2. That thousands of canteens-
with special food. clothing and
medical supplies for children-be
established In Europe's industrial
areas.
Cost of Services.
3. The cost of these services, he
said, should be paid out of the in
ternational contributions to UNRRA
Of the affected nations.
4. American agencies should as
sist such groups as the Save the