Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-29

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grain, butter and other staples.
There was no estimate avail
able Of hew much relief might
be needed, but the White House
said very rough estimates put
the immediate needs at about 50
million.
The Surplus Disposal Act,
signed by the President on July
10. contains a provision author
izing him to use surplus COM
modities for emergency relief
to free nations or to FRIENDLY
and needy populations without
regard to the frieendliness of
their government" the White
House pointed out.
First Use Of New Law.
Gen. Eisenhower's action to-
day was the first application of
the new law in the foreign field.
Surplus commodities were used,
however. under an arrangement
with the Foreign Operations
Administration to help relieve
farming conditions in East Ger
many last year when Germans
under Communist rule crossed
into West Berlin to get food
parcels.
The Kremlin turned down
Gen. Eisenhower's offer last
summer to donate SIS million
worth Of food for East Germany.
The system was set up for dis
tributing food parcels to East
Germans who went by the
thousands daily into West Ber-
lin to get them. Despite har-
rassment and hundreds of ar
rests by the Communist au-
thorities in East Germany, a
total of 5,557, 900 food parcels
were distributed in the 10-week
program that ended last Octo-
Der IL.
In today's offer, the President
said the relief foodstuffs could
be made available without de-
lay" and could be distributed to
a mutually acceptable interna-
tional agency such as the Red
Cross.
Puts Reds on Spot.
AS in the case of East Ger
many, the Presidents offer today
put the Eastern European Com
munist governments on a spot
If they accept American aid
they will be admitting their own
inability to feed their peoples
If they turn down the offer, the
flood victims under the Red yoke
can be expected to blame Their
Communist rulers for letting
them starve.
White House Press Secretary
James c. Hagerty read the
Presidents statement to report.
ers shortly after noon. He sale
it had been the first CIDER o.
business at a Cabinet meeting
beginning at II am.
In the areas of free Western
Europe affected by the fioot
American soldiers already have
supplied some emergency fooe
and clothing relief needs.
Text Of Statement.
The text of the President
statement follows:
"The American people hav,
followed with sympathy ant
compassion reports of the wide
spread human suffering which
has already resulted from seri
Gus flood conditions in larg'
areas of Central and Eastern
Europe.
Reports indicate that seri
Gus damage to humans ane
crops has occurred all alonI
the Danube and has been par
ticularly heavy in Germany
Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hun
gary and Yugoslavia.
Moreover, there has beel
considerably hardship and de
struction of property along riv
ers in East Germany flowin
north. The full extent of thes
losses cannot be known for sew
eral weeks.
"In West Germany and Aus
tria. United States authorize
have extended emergency as
sistance in an effort to alleviat
the immediate situation.
"The United States is pre-
pared to extend such aid as
feasible throughout the foo
areas. We stand ready to max
food available to tighten tn
burden on flood victims who al
struggling to rehabllitate them
selves.
1.-THE foodstuffs which can b
made available without della
could be distributed through
mutually acceptable interna
tional agency. Various agencie
are under consideration such q
the League of Red Cross Socie
ties.
I'VE are also making inquire
regarding the need for medics
and other supplies.
II have asked our diplomat
missions in each country whic
has suffered flood damage t
make themselves available to tn
local authorities in such a man
ner that we can be prompt
and effectively Of assistance I
aid those In distress"