Salt Lake Tribune | 1917-04-01 | Page 31 | Frenchmen Weep as they Thank Hoover

MpfflWEEP 15 THEY THANK HOOVER PARTS?, March 31, 6:30 p. m. Herbert C. Hoover, chairman of the American commission for relief in Belgium, yesterday yester-day visiied the liberated district as a guest of the French government. He waa received at Noyon by members of the French general staff and conducted to ' the town hall, where thirty mayors from the evacuated communes had assembled j to express the gratitude of the French population to America for the preaerva- ; tion of their lives during the last two I and one-half years. J The prefect of the Oise, on behalf of ; the French government, said an official i Investigation of the liberated communes ' allowed not only amazing efficiency under un-der the conditions, but that the final proof of He character was that public j health had been maintained among the civilian population. Until the Germans began to retreat they had not interfered with the relief work. The prefect was bo moved in expressing his thanks to America that for a time he was unable to continue because of tears. Some of the mayors still had In their keeping money or supplies that the Germans Ger-mans had not taken. They were extremely ex-tremely careful over their stewardship and they wished to square accounts !m- mediately with Mr. Hoover. One of them 1 asked If he had done wronn In baking bread from relief flour alter the Gr- mans had left. Another wlshai Mr. Hoover to count the empty sacks which, under the regulations, had to be returned to the commission, and another tried to have Mr. Hoover accept 1400 francs due the commission.