The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-28
TWO ALABAMA BOYS NOW IN BELGIUM ARE .0N THE RELIEF CORPS
Q. c. Carmichael of Good water Writes from Rotter-
 dam About Scope of Work
RHODES SCHOLARS
 AIDING STRICKEN
B. H. Branscomb of Birmingham Is Also in Party-How Belgium Is Divided Into Various
 Relief Districts

Relief Districts
 Two Alabama boys are now in Bel gium assisting in relief work They are R. H. Branscomb of Birmingham and o. c. Carmichael Of Goodwater Both are Rhodes scholars.
 The Age-Herald yesterday received an interesting letter from Mir Car michael about the work for which he asks as wide publicity as possible. He thinks the whole state should know the importance of the task now confront ing the Belgian relief workers.
 Mir. Carmichael writes as follows: To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 As member of a party of Americans who are going into Belgium to assist In the distribution of food there, am sending you brief account of the work so far as we have been initiated into it.
 At o'clock on December party of seven Gall Rhodes scholars but one), left the Victoria station, London. for Rotterdam via Folkestone and Flush ing. Owing to the danger from mines we did not leave Folkestone until the tttAt lnoIliilB Ut . q CiOCh. AIItT tlk nt hours of sailing we reached Flushing, having successfully avoided all mines. We were delayed sometime at the cus- toms in Flushing and did not leave till 6:15 D. m. We arrived in Rotter- day at s:s0.
 This morning we were taken over to the office of the Belgium commission and introduced to the plan of the work. It must be remembered that the first of the work was begun only six weeks ago and naturally there are many de- tails yet to be worked out However. 1t is easily seen. from the plan which shall outline briefly, that the work is already well under way.
 Three Committees
 There are three committees with which We have to deal. In the first place. there Is a committee in London whose function it is to get up funds and procure helpers for the actual worl, in Belgium. The members of this com mittee constitute the central commit tee for the entire work The commit tee In Rotterdam has charge of the transportation since the food from all parts of the world Is sent here first and from Rotterdam as a base is dis tributed by train and canal boats into Belgium. The first cargoes sent in were held up by the Germans and taxed heavily but this was due merely to the fact that they didn't understand the na- ture of the work that was being be- gun. Now. the food is admitted free of freight charges and the tariff money exacted of the first cargo has been re- funded
 There is a central committee sta tioned at Brussels whose function It Is to keep in touch with and direct the actual distribution of the food. Besides this central committee there are others of subordinate character being es- tabiisbed in different parts ot the country for the same purpose.
 There are then three main commit tees for the general organization and support of the work for the transpor- tation of the foodstuffs, and for the i'm mediate work of distribution and these are in London, Rotterdam and Brus- sells, respectively. In addition to these, there is a separate committee for each of the nine different provinces into which the country has been divided for the purpose of this relief work. and working under them Is commit tee for each commune. The provinci ciai and communal committees are com posed of Belgians and the Americans being sent in now are to work in con- nection with these committees as rep resentatives of the American govern ment.
 The plan is to have from two to three Americans in each of the nine provinces and it will be our duty to see that the food which is sent in gets into the proper Belgian committees and not into German hands. It will fall to us also to see to it, as far as possible. that there is an impartial distribution of the food.
 Twelve In Party
 Thus far there have been 10 men sent into Belgium for the work of supervis- ion. There are seven in our party and i've more have arrived tonight. All 12 of us expect to leave Rotterdam on Friday morning, the 11th, for Brussels. where we get our final instructions before go- ing into our respective prryinces to begin tho work. In most cases the men are going out in pairs. which is much better than going alone. The work Is not expected to be easy and certainly one will not have the pleasure of jovial company among the people who have been so deprived of a fatherland ana in many cases of house and home.
 The faak Of faadiy1p an many naapta