Paris Peace Conf. 103.97/1: Telegram
The Ambassador in France ( Sharp ) to the Acting Secretary of State
6317. From Hoover for Rickard. Food Administration. 1235. For the Board. The exact situation here is as follows: The establishment of a Director General of Relief occupying position like that of Marshal Foch in relation to the Supreme War Council was formally proposed by the President to the Allies; that he should have handed over to him all enemy shipping to be employed not merely in some degree for the enemy populations but to carry all relief of liberated European peoples. Objecting to this plan, various European Governments are trying to substitute Inter-Allied world control of food, which plan cannot have our acquiescence since it carries with it the transfer of American producers to the hands of an organization in which we have only one-fourth voice. It is a further consideration of ours that we would not be able to call upon the support and imagination of the people of America back of such a board. Political factors of deep meaning are also involved, conflicting with our national ideals. Our progress has not yet been appreciable after 2 weeks of negotiation in the hope of a solution. Meanwhile, the Jugo-Slavian, Servian and South European situations have become so acute that on the instructions of the President, given yesterday, (concerning which I will wire you in greater detail tomorrow) we are embarking on emergency relief that is independent of Allied cooperation, but at the same time we are requesting them to join with us. The real food situation in Europe is this: the German people are evidently better fed, because of the relaxing of Government restraints, than they were prior to the Armistice, but they are fast eating into their supplies. Their problem, in any event, does not become acute for 2 or 3 months. A question of hours rather than days, is the critical state of affairs in German Austria. Concerning Servia and Jugo-Slavia the same can be said. Help [Page 667] by April or May will be needed by Bulgaria and Roumania. Acute situations obtain in Poland, parts of Turkey, also Baltic states and Finland, with Russia practically beyond help. My statement before leaving still applies to the world situation which is no different. As to conservation, while we need it, we experience great difficulties in locating enough transportation to care for our excess fat products during the major hog run. There are not enough fat supplies in the world to take care of European situations, but the markets will be broken now by the making of a definite call for conservation in fats. About February and from then on, the actual call for conservation in fats must come. In the complexity of these negotiations, it is hard for us to advise you from day to day, and until we have come to the milestones of conclusions it would but create confusion in your minds. For Northern France and Belgium we will not need charity with the exception of what incidentals may flow without effort. If we do not succeed on finance of such areas as the West and South of Europe, the Baltic States and Poland, a large appeal to the people of America for charitable assistance might have to be made by us. By means of governmental help, we are striving our utmost towards the solution of the problem. In general, great problems in the world’s food supply will confront us before the next harvest, but the burden does not as yet press except in the case of special situations, and it is hopeless for us to request conservation of any specific food while awaiting the settlement of outstanding negotiations and the arrangement of shipping and finance. We do hope, in preparation for the effort we face, that the organization can be held together. We are desirous of having Swenson and Heinz32 proceed to Paris immediately.
- Magnus Swenson, appointed by Herbert Hoover to be his assistant at Copenhagen, and Howard Heinz, member of the executive committee of the American Relief Administration.↩