From The Times, August 7, 1921
Common humanity urges the rest of Europe, indeed the whole world, to send aid to famine-stricken Russia, but common sense suggests that there is exceptional need in this case to make sure that supplies shall reach those who really need them. Already there are signs that the Soviet Government are casting about for expedients to turn the calamities of their countrymen to their own advantage. The organizers of relief, however, have made it clear that stringent conditions will be exacted before relief is sent, and that the distribution of supplies must be watched by non-Russian experts in relief work. Thus, Mr Hoover was far too experienced in the work of supplying relief to Belgium during the war to commit himself to sending supplies to Russia without the most careful supervision. His first condition was that all American prisoners in the hands of the Soviet should be released. Moscow has signified its acceptance of his conditions. Disillusioned in its strange optimism about the sending of indiscriminate relief, it now seems to have taken alarm at the prospect of foreign supervision of foreign help, and is doing its best to show that the famine in Russia is not so serious after all. With all allowance made for such manoeuvres the state of Russia is evidently terrible, and there can be no doubt about the duty of humanity to send aid.
Such impulses should not be left unregulated. If relief is to be efficient it must be organized, be placed under competent supervision, be guaranteed against any suspicion of political wire-pulling. The League of Nations probably has neither the funds, the men, nor the experience for such a task. The best alternative is probably the International Red Cross Committee and the League of Red Cross Societies, working together. They propose an international relief organization “to centralize the official distribution of food supplies and the activities of voluntary bodies”. They believe a powerful international body for this purpose “is alone in a position to manage relief action,” and have convened a meeting of “all European and American associations interested in Russian relief” for August 15 at Geneva. We think that the Powers cannot do better than acquiesce in the proposal.