almost incredible meanness, they accused Hoover of shipping food from the United States because American cold-storage warehouses were overcrowded with a surplus of pork and dairy products. They turned thumbs down on a Wilson proposal to put Germany’s merchant marine at Hoover’s disposal to ship more food, because the Allies wanted to seize the ships for their merchant fleets. They also balked at the idea that Hoover should run the emergency food program. At a London meeting between Lloyd George, Clemenceau and Orlando, they announced plans to “investigate” how much food Germany needed—and how much reparations it could pay, a chilling linkage. Significantly, Hoover was not invited to the meeting.
Giving up on the British, Hoover moved his operation to Paris in mid-December. By that time, Wilson had received his tumultuous welcome in the City of Light. But Hoover found the atmosphere “miasmic” when it came to getting food into Germany.“The wolf,” Hoover cried, “is at the door of the world.” Clemenceau’s reply was a vicious wisecrack:“There are twenty million Germans too many.” 33
The French, led by their vengeful premier, became even more intransigent than the British. They joined the Belgians in announcing the discovery that Germany had $570 million in gold in its Berlin vaults. When the armistice agreement was renewed on December 13, the gold was the only topic discussed. The commissioners added an amendment prohibiting Germany from disposing of this hard money for food or anything else, to make sure it was available for reparations. As for food, the commissioners simply rubber-stamped Article 26 of the agreement, stating that victuals would be provided “as shall be found necessary” and did nothing.
The day after Wilson reached Paris, House told him of Hoover’s problems. The president contacted Lloyd George, Clemenceau and Orlando,and all three immediately agreed to approve Hoover as the director of an Allied food program. When Hoover went to British officials with his new authority, they stonewalled and proposed an inter-Allied committee to run things. Nevertheless, Hoover managed to wangle an agreement to permit food to be shipped to neutral countries around Germany, such as Denmark and the Netherlands, where it could be traded for German commodities.
Next Hoover asked Admiral William Benson, the courtly, white-mustached chief of U.S. naval operations, to persuade the British to lift the Baltic blockade against the German fishing fleet. Benson was the Americans’ senior naval adviser at the peace conference. He got nowhere. Surly British Admiral Edward Browning, president of the Allied Naval Armistice Commission, had only one idea in his head: Make the Huns squirm and plead. Then came stunning news from London: Officials of the British, French and Italian governments had revoked permission to ship food to neutral countries. The blockade remained in wartime force.
These same officials canceled orders for 200 million pounds of American bacon, already cured and ready for shipment to England. Also deep-sixed were contracts for 100 million bushels of wheat and hefty orders of beef, pork and dairy products. This was a neat way of saying “Drop dead” to the Americans, who were stuck with the surpluses. It also meant the Allies would be able to claim they had no food to spare for Germany. 34
Hoover was a Quaker, but he cast aside meekness when he saw people doing unspeakable things. He paid a visit to Admiral Benson and asked him “if the Allies had any right to stop ships flying the American flag and carrying food to people dying of starvation.”
“Not as long there is a ship left in our fleet,” Benson replied. Like many American navy men, he was thoroughly sick of condescending British admirals and delighted to have an excuse to tell them off.
Benson soon informed Hoover that the British had dropped their objection to shipping food to neutral nations. The director of relief next
Giving up on the British, Hoover moved his operation to Paris in mid-December. By that time, Wilson had received his tumultuous welcome in the City of Light. But Hoover found the atmosphere “miasmic” when it came to getting food into Germany.“The wolf,” Hoover cried, “is at the door of the world.” Clemenceau’s reply was a vicious wisecrack:“There are twenty million Germans too many.” 33
The French, led by their vengeful premier, became even more intransigent than the British. They joined the Belgians in announcing the discovery that Germany had $570 million in gold in its Berlin vaults. When the armistice agreement was renewed on December 13, the gold was the only topic discussed. The commissioners added an amendment prohibiting Germany from disposing of this hard money for food or anything else, to make sure it was available for reparations. As for food, the commissioners simply rubber-stamped Article 26 of the agreement, stating that victuals would be provided “as shall be found necessary” and did nothing.
The day after Wilson reached Paris, House told him of Hoover’s problems. The president contacted Lloyd George, Clemenceau and Orlando,and all three immediately agreed to approve Hoover as the director of an Allied food program. When Hoover went to British officials with his new authority, they stonewalled and proposed an inter-Allied committee to run things. Nevertheless, Hoover managed to wangle an agreement to permit food to be shipped to neutral countries around Germany, such as Denmark and the Netherlands, where it could be traded for German commodities.
Next Hoover asked Admiral William Benson, the courtly, white-mustached chief of U.S. naval operations, to persuade the British to lift the Baltic blockade against the German fishing fleet. Benson was the Americans’ senior naval adviser at the peace conference. He got nowhere. Surly British Admiral Edward Browning, president of the Allied Naval Armistice Commission, had only one idea in his head: Make the Huns squirm and plead. Then came stunning news from London: Officials of the British, French and Italian governments had revoked permission to ship food to neutral countries. The blockade remained in wartime force.
These same officials canceled orders for 200 million pounds of American bacon, already cured and ready for shipment to England. Also deep-sixed were contracts for 100 million bushels of wheat and hefty orders of beef, pork and dairy products. This was a neat way of saying “Drop dead” to the Americans, who were stuck with the surpluses. It also meant the Allies would be able to claim they had no food to spare for Germany. 34
Hoover was a Quaker, but he cast aside meekness when he saw people doing unspeakable things. He paid a visit to Admiral Benson and asked him “if the Allies had any right to stop ships flying the American flag and carrying food to people dying of starvation.”
“Not as long there is a ship left in our fleet,” Benson replied. Like many American navy men, he was thoroughly sick of condescending British admirals and delighted to have an excuse to tell them off.
Benson soon informed Hoover that the British had dropped their objection to shipping food to neutral nations. The director of relief next
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