Do you recognise the man in the other photo between Paderewski and Pilsudski? He deserves recognition because he orchestrated the humanitarian aid to Poland that saved countless lives. Who was he? Here are a few clues.

He was an orphan, a Quaker who dreamt of becoming an engineer. Difficult to achieve without a high school diploma, but by passing an entrance exam he was accepted into Stanford. To raise money to pay for his living expenses, he and another student rented a hall, hired a world famous musician, advertised and sold tickets for the piano recital. Unfortunately they didn’t gross enough to pay Jan Ignace Paderewski the fee they promised him. What would you do?

The two lads fronted Mr Paderewski and explained what happened, gave him all the box office takings and offered an IOU for the still substantial shortfall. They thought that their academic careers were over when Jan Ignace said ‘no boys, that won’t do’ as he ripped up the promissory note in front of them. However, Paderewski gave them back the money and said:

“Here’s the money back, take out of this your expenses, give yourselves each ten percent of the balance for your work, and let me have the rest.”

The orphan, after completing his engineering degree, came to Western Australia and saw the potential that others didn’t see in ‘Sons of Gwalia’, a gold mining prospect. He was still in his twenties when he gained control of the group, and reorganised and re-engineered it into one of the most successful gold mines in the world; he made a fortune in doing so. He was one of the founders of the Zinc Corporation. After mergers over time, it is now known as Rio Tinto. Hoover taught at Columbia University and his lectures were published (Principles of Mining) and used as a standard reference for many years. Still in print is his definitive translation from Latin of Agricola’s 1556 De re metallica.

Time passed and in 1919 Jan Ignace Paderewski had become Prime Minister of Poland at a time when it was experiencing a terrible famine and a typhus epidemic was raging. It has been estimated that in 1919 alone, more than 230 000 people throughout Poland were suffering from this disease. Just in the nick of time, huge quantities of food, clothing medical supplies and equipment including portable baths, steam laundries, trucks and ambulances was being distributed to the starving within Poland’s then borders. Paderewski was overwhelmed with gratitude and in Paris he thanked the man responsible. The man’s reply?

“That’s OK Mr Paderewski, you probably don’t remember me, but you helped me out when I was a student at Stanford.”

Have you guessed his name yet? Last and easiest clue, he became the 31st President of the United States of America!