1921 Warren G. Harding - Russian Famine of 1921

In early spring of 1921, Russia experienced a severe famine which killed an estimated 6 million people.   Overall, the famine was impacting 15 million people, and voluntary agencies were struggling to do their utmost to save the lives of children in the area.   President Harding declared that unless America acted, the loss of life in Russia would extend to the many millions.   But America was in a tough position. The Bolshevik revolution had lead to military communism in Russia where food was rationed, and worse requisitioned from the peasants.  Workers were under strict discipline, and all industries had been nationalized.   The famine began as early as 1919, but Lenin refused to accept relief.   Now Lenin was forced to accept outside relief, but how could America help a country run by the Red Army?  How could America help a country that exported communist propaganda?   Harding answered, "We do not recognize the government of Russia, nor tolerate the propaganda which emanates therefrom, but we do not forget the traditions of Russian friendship."   America needed to put aside it's differences and supply the American Relief Administration (ARA) with abundant corn and seeds of grain. 

"We do not recognize the government of Russia, nor tolerate the propaganda which emanates therefrom, but we do not forget the traditions of Russian friendship. We may put aside our consideration of all international politics and fundamental differences in government. The big thing is the call of the suffering and the dying. Unreservedly I recommend the appropriation necessary to supply the American Relief Administration with 10,000,000 bushels of corn and 1,000,000 bushels of seed grains, not alone to halt the wave of death through starvation, but to enable spring planting in areas where the seed grains have been exhausted temporarily to stem starvation.  The American Relief Administration is directed in Russia by former officers of our own armies, and has fully demonstrated its ability to transport and distribute relief through American hands without hindrance or loss. The time has come to add the Government's support to the wonderful relief already wrought out of the generosity of the American private purse."

American Relief Administration

Herbert Hoover, as head of the Food Administration program during World War formed the American Relief Administration (ARA).   During the Russian Famine of 1921, the ARA along with help from other bodies fed around 10 million people with funds coming from the US Congress. 

References

Presidency.ucsb.edu. (2018). Warren G. Harding: First Annual Message. [online] Available at: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29562 [Accessed 19 Mar. 2018].

En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Russian famine of 1921–22. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_famine_of_1921 [Accessed 19 Mar. 2018].

En.wikipedia.org. (2018). War communism. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_communism [Accessed 19 Mar. 2018].


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