Mr. Hoover on Feeding Europe
In a letter to The Times, published last Wednesday, Mr. Herbert Hoover puts forward a reasoned defence of his scheme for permitting food to be sent to women, children and unem- ployed men in the occupied democracies. Mr. Hoover's proposals ought to be examined on their merits and their merits only. His record is sufficient to assure us that they are put forward from motives of humanity only, and not in the least from any willingness to weaken our war-effort. One may go farther and say that if it could be proved that supplies to the occupied countries would not directly or indirectly benefit the Germans the public in Britain would be not less anxious to help than Mr. Hoover himself. The real question, then, is what guaran- tees he can offer that the supplies will really effect the ends that he desires. He presupposes a prior agreement with the Germans covering cessation of all requisition of native food supplies—that is to say, a reversal of their present procedure. Compulsory sale cannot be distinguished from requisition. He further requires contribution from German-controlled bread- stuffs in amounts equivalent to the food already taken. (The regular method in France is to release a small percentage of food-stocks commandeered.) He offers efficient neutral control. If these conditions could really be satisfied the objec- tions to his scheme would vanish. If he can persuade us that the Germans would so far reverse their present policy as to meet his conditions, and that neutral control would be effec- tive, then our course would be clear. Probably he would be on stronger ground if he would frankly admit that anything we send will to some extent help Germany, and ask that we should risk that and permit the supply of special food for children under organised control.
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