ABSTRACT
The World War feared for so long at last burst out in Europe with the German invasion and conquest of Poland in September, 1939, followed by the Soviet attack on Finland in November. Whatever their personal sympathies, all but a small part of the American people strongly supported national neutrality. In the years between 1939 and 1941, a period of neutrality at times jeopardized by American support for the underdog, government supervision of nonofficial aid to the needy in belligerent countries became established policy. In the years of neutrality the chief focus of attention was, however, neither Poland, France, Greece nor the Soviet Union, but, rather, Great Britain. Before considering the relations of the relief agencies to the federal government during the years of neutrality, it may be useful to summarize contributions by voluntary agencies and to indicate general trends.
