Herbert Hoover to Woodrow Wilson
Title
Herbert Hoover to Woodrow Wilson
Creator
Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964
Identifier
WWP19502
Date
1919 April 14
Description
Herbert Hoover writes to Woodrow Wilson regarding transporting relief supplies to Hungary.
Source
Hoover-Wilson Correspondence, Hoover Institution, Hoover Institution Archives, Stanford, California
Publisher
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum
Subject
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924--Correspondence
Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964--Correspondence
Language
English
Text
DRAFT
Dear Mr. President
I regret the necessity to trouble you to secure the approval of the three premiers to a short statement that I desire to make to the Hungarian Government by way of premise to the completion of certain negotiations with them vital to the relief of Central Europe.
The position is that just prior to the fall of the Hungarian Government I had been made by the Council of Ten the mandatory for the operation of the railways of the old Austrian Empire so far as it related to the movement of food and movement of vital supplies and I had established a railway control there. In accordance with this arrangement we had demanded an agreement to give us arranged for a a quota of rolling stock under our control from each of these States together with certain rights of control in our regular service of the regular operation of 80 foo of our 80 food trains. The participation by Hungary has in this matter is vital as they control the majority of certain types of cardss and locomotives which we wish to use and the operation of our trains over certain Hungarian railways is vital to the whole plan of feeding this part of Europe. My representatives have now reopended the matter with the Hungarian Government and find that they are prepared to accede to all the points that we desire to secure. Amongst them the handing over to us of a large number of tank cars which are vital for necessary to the distribution of lubricating and other oils from Roumania in exchange for foodstuffs from the Banat and for the privilege of enabling us to enable us to maintain railway service generally.
With the dangerous situation in the various governments surrounding Hungary, we feel it is impossible for us to place the Hungarians on precisely the same basis of food supply as the other governments, for On the other hand if we put Hungary on precisely the same food basis as the other states we shall lose our control of the situation in the surrounding states. wWe have ample indication that the restraining influence that we now have hold on the overturn of these governments before Peace will be lost, for as effective but if the disturbing elements in Austria Chezo Slovakia Jugo Slavia etc consider that they will be as secure as to food supplies after disturbance as before our present potentiality for which the maintenance of to maintain the status quo of order is lost. The other Austrian states Furthermore, there are no doubt difficulties in the minds of some of the Allied Governments about the recognition of the Hungarian Government. Therefore, in order to avoid these various pitfalls, I propose to complete the negotiations with the Hungarian Government as to transportaation and supply of food with the preliminary announcement on the following lines:
1.“ The proposed economic arrangement with the Food Administration as to railway transportation and food supplies for Hungary is provisional and purely humanitarian and has no relationship to the settlement of any political questions.
2. That the Associated Governments do not at presnent intend to accord soame consideration to Hungary as they are according to liberated countries and German Austria today. To these latter countries they are sending a constantly increasing flow of food supplies for the purchase of which the Allied Governments are voluntarily providing the necessary finances. So far as Hungary is concerned, the Associated Governments will have the for the presnent only advance food supplies for such committances, services, and funds as may be acceptable to the Food Administration on behalf of the Associated Governments.
”- - - - - -The matter is of urgent character and it is impossible for anyone to solve the minor agree the political issue involved except yourself and the three premiers. Any amount of discussion between the members of the bodies in which I sit cannot possibly result in other than a reference to yourself in the end. All of the economic and practical issues involved have long since been settleed by our various Inter-Allied arrangements.
Faithfully yours,
Herbert C. Hoover
Dear Mr. President
I regret the necessity to trouble you to secure the approval of the three premiers to a short statement that I desire to make to the Hungarian Government by way of premise to the completion of certain negotiations with them vital to the relief of Central Europe.
The position is that just prior to the fall of the Hungarian Government I had been made by the Council of Ten the mandatory for the operation of the railways of the old Austrian Empire so far as it related to the movement of food and movement of vital supplies and I had established a railway control there. In accordance with this arrangement we had demanded an agreement to give us arranged for a a quota of rolling stock under our control from each of these States together with certain rights of control in our regular service of the regular operation of 80 foo of our 80 food trains. The participation by Hungary has in this matter is vital as they control the majority of certain types of cardss and locomotives which we wish to use and the operation of our trains over certain Hungarian railways is vital to the whole plan of feeding this part of Europe. My representatives have now reopended the matter with the Hungarian Government and find that they are prepared to accede to all the points that we desire to secure. Amongst them the handing over to us of a large number of tank cars which are vital for necessary to the distribution of lubricating and other oils from Roumania in exchange for foodstuffs from the Banat and for the privilege of enabling us to enable us to maintain railway service generally.
With the dangerous situation in the various governments surrounding Hungary, we feel it is impossible for us to place the Hungarians on precisely the same basis of food supply as the other governments, for On the other hand if we put Hungary on precisely the same food basis as the other states we shall lose our control of the situation in the surrounding states. wWe have ample indication that the restraining influence that we now have hold on the overturn of these governments before Peace will be lost, for as effective but if the disturbing elements in Austria Chezo Slovakia Jugo Slavia etc consider that they will be as secure as to food supplies after disturbance as before our present potentiality for which the maintenance of to maintain the status quo of order is lost. The other Austrian states Furthermore, there are no doubt difficulties in the minds of some of the Allied Governments about the recognition of the Hungarian Government. Therefore, in order to avoid these various pitfalls, I propose to complete the negotiations with the Hungarian Government as to transportaation and supply of food with the preliminary announcement on the following lines:
1.“ The proposed economic arrangement with the Food Administration as to railway transportation and food supplies for Hungary is provisional and purely humanitarian and has no relationship to the settlement of any political questions.
2. That the Associated Governments do not at presnent intend to accord soame consideration to Hungary as they are according to liberated countries and German Austria today. To these latter countries they are sending a constantly increasing flow of food supplies for the purchase of which the Allied Governments are voluntarily providing the necessary finances. So far as Hungary is concerned, the Associated Governments will have the for the presnent only advance food supplies for such committances, services, and funds as may be acceptable to the Food Administration on behalf of the Associated Governments.
”- - - - - -The matter is of urgent character and it is impossible for anyone to solve the minor agree the political issue involved except yourself and the three premiers. Any amount of discussion between the members of the bodies in which I sit cannot possibly result in other than a reference to yourself in the end. All of the economic and practical issues involved have long since been settleed by our various Inter-Allied arrangements.
Faithfully yours,
Herbert C. Hoover
Original Format
Letter
To
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924
Files
Citation
Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964, “Herbert Hoover to Woodrow Wilson,” 1919 April 14, WWP19502, Hoover Institute at Stanford University Collection, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.