By Thomas F. Schwartz
Human empathy produces emotional connections between an individual and others. Tears are a strong emotional response to situations of extreme sadness or joy. In 1914, Herbert Hoover’s first visit to the soup kitchens of Brussels evoked a moving response of compassion. As Brad Whitlock, the United States Ambassador to Belgium, recalled the scene: “They stood with the divine patience of the poor, there in the cold rain, shivering in shawls and old coats and wooden shoes, with bowls or pitchers and each with his number and his card, issued by his commune.” Hoover watched silently as each received a bowl of soup, loaf of bread, and some coffee. Whitlock described how each thank-you “somehow stabbed one to the heart, and brought an ache to the throat, and almost an annoying moisture to the eyes. One felt very humble to those human presences…I knew what was going on in Mr. Hoover’s heart when he turned away and fixed his gaze on something far down the street.”
In August, 1919, Herbert Hoover visited Warsaw, Poland to meet with Jozef Pilsudski, the Chief of State, and Prime Minister Ignacy Paderewski, the famed Polish pianist. In honor of his food relief efforts, a special event at a race track was quickly organized to thank Hoover. According to Hugh Gibson, the American Minister to Poland who witnessed the event.
From the Hotel Bristol we set off to the race track, preceded by a lot of motor trucks loaded with children and followed by some more.
Somebody had suggested the idea of a parade of poor children from schools and institutions so that Hoover might see how the children that he had taken care of looked. The movement had grown within 48 hours to terrifying proportions, children were being shipped in from all parts of Poland without previous notice and the authorities of Warsaw were hard put to find shelter and food for them. This morning there were 15,000 of them ready to march. By early afternoon over 20,000, and by the time we reached the race track all count had been lost at about 32,000.
We were taken to the Imperial Box, in the grandstand, and then as is usual in such functions here, everybody else came in and packed the place so that we were flattened up against the rails.
The field before the grandstand was packed with people, mostly small children, and the cheers they let out almost took the roof off. The place was filled with bands, all playing, and the march past began at once. The youngsters varied from 5 to 12 years, and most of them marched like veterans, and the way they yelled at the sight of Hoover was something worth coming this far to see. A steady stream poured by for two solid hours and the poor man was pretty red-eyed most of the time…
On an average of once every minute a youngster or group of youngsters was brought up to hand a bouquet or a set piece of flowers until the tribune all around him was banked high with them. One group of little urchins got out into the field in the middle of the race track and caught a rabbit which they brought up with a delegation and presented. One little youngster, a boy of not more than 9, was brought up with one group. His arm was in a sling and it was explained that he had been wounded fighting on the Bolshevik front.
Hoover received autograph albums, hand-drawn pictures, and small gifts from Polish children throughout the American Relief Administration food program. In December, 1921, Hoover sent a letter “To the Children of Poland” thanking them for their gifts. And they did not forget. In 1927, many sent monetary contributions to Hoover to aid the victims of the Mississippi flood helping America in its time of need.