New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-06
BIGGEST Work of Its Kind
in History, Says J. r.
Flannery.
Urges AMERICANS TO
SEND MORE SUPPLIES
Minister Whitlock Declares No
Food Goes to Germans, Who
Are Respecting Work.

London, Dec. 81. Rogers Flannery,
steel manufacturer Of Pittsburgh
has returned to London from an ex-
tended tour Of Belgium, where, on
mission for the Belgian Relief Com
mission, he visited regions which the
war devastated. He brings deserip-
ton of impending famine and great
distress. Mr.. Flannery says there IS
without question dire need of the peo-
ple of Belgium for assistance from
America. With what supplies they
have available the relief commission
is doing a splendid work, but much
more food is needed from America.
Tho scheme Of distribution is good
and supplies already sent are reaching
their proper destination. Mr. flannery
was in one village where the timely ar
rival Of a shipment of American gram
from Liege simply averted starvation
lie said
81 first went TO Antwerp and thence
10 Malines and Brussels. where spent
a week, and then 10 Louvain, Aerschot,
Namur, Dinant, Liege, Wise, Borndeau
uouland, Hirve, Battice and Juiement.
j travelled in a motor flying the Amer
lean flag. German troops everywhere
in large forces we're carefully guarding
all the main railway lines.
All Industry Paralyzed.
Industry is paralyzed, The steel
works in Southern Belgium are not
operating. and coal mines are only
working to supply an urgent local
need. The populace everywhere IS out
Of work | only saw one manufactur-
ing plant in full operation. 1t was
zinc plant on tho Mouse, near Namur
Where there has been fighting simple
and unalloyed devastation exists. IT
is pitiful to a degree. AT one place l
was besieged by crowd Of old women
end half-starved children. begging
aims. When i tried to distribute some
money there was almost riot. They
tore 1T my hands in frantic efforts to
yet the money until one hand was
bleeding.
"Once | saw woman pushing baby
carriage through the thick mud from
one town TO another in a downpour OF
rain. Hundreds of people are to be
seen travelling from town TO town
seeking better conditions. They carry
with them all they own in little bun
dies. They all need food and lots of
IL. Formerly Belgium imported five
sixths Of ner focdstuffs. Now all this
and much more must be furnished
from the outside. 1t IS a titanic task,
the biggest relief work ever under
taken in history. 1t needs only a
glance at the wonderful good done by
what American food has already ar
rived 70 convince one of the tremen-
dous value of keeping up the ship
ments."
Telegram from MIR. Whitloek.
The American Relief Commits
sion to-day received telegram
krom Captain T. F.. Lucey, at Rotter-
dam, in which the American relief
commissioner incorporates an impor-
tant telegram which he received from
Brand Whitlock, the American Minister
10 Belgium, regarding charges which
recently have appeared in newspapers
in connection with the relief work. Mr..
Whitlock's message follows:
IL can assure you there is no ground
for the alarm reported in your tele-
gram this morning that soldiers billet
ed in houses are fed with food provided
by our commission. The German author
tues are respecting ONi WIN gnu al 9
keeping all their engagements, and the
organization Of the commission, with its
almost scientific methods Of distribu-
ton, is such that it is practically i'm
possible for our food TO go to any but
the suffering portion of the population.
"Hoover (Herbert c. Hoover, chair
man OF the commission) has all the de-
tails Of the organization, and l am
sure he can convince any person that
no better method can be devised to
meet this great emergency. He and
feel satisfied that humanitarian end
is being subserved by the system that
every morning provides each hungry
person with food sufficient for that
DAYS need and no more"
To this statement Captain Lueey
adds:
I'VE investigated every charge made
by the American press rega- Ing the
seizure Of automobiles or delays and
interfereuces Of any kind, and find them
in every instance unwarranted. From
all the statements we now have for
warded / think the American people
and the press should be satisfied, anC
that the relief work should 80 or
without further hesitation"