Evening star., 1914-11-22
100000 bELG|ANS
FACING STARVATION
Twenty States Busy Collecting
Funds to Help These
Sufferers.
FOOD BOUGHT IN U. S.
TO BE HURRIED ACROSS
Three Shiploads Already Gone For
ward-American Committee
Acts as Relief Agent.

Organized collections in twenty
states, with twelve governors serving
on committees, shows the nationwide
response that is being made for the
| relief of the Belgians, under the CEN
trail committee named by Emmanuel
Havenith, the Belgian minister, with
Cardinal Gibbons as honorary chair
man.
Cash contributions of s145,00O made
to the Belgian legation here, independ-
ent of the collections now in progress
in these states, shows the generous and
prompt response that was made for
funds to supply the pressing, imme-
diate needs of the women and children
of this invaded nation.
OF this fund $4,000 was sent about
September l to the minister of the in
terror to care for the more needy
refugees. Since then the lack of food
has become more acute, and money was
OF no use in Belgium to buy food
Nearly 100000 women and children
in Belgium are facing starvation; from
100000 to 100000 refugees are in dire
distress.
In this greatest calamity Of modern
history. with Germany threatening to
seize any food that might come to these
as only America could under the circum-
stances, to the rescue. America came
not as nation, but as whole hearted
sympathetic brothers, individuals and
not only contributed the food for relief,
but found a way to get it to the starv-
ing. innocent non-combatant sufferers by
the war
Brand Whitlock. consul general in
Brussels. with the co-operation Of the
Belgian committee in Brussels sue
ceeded in having an American COM
mittee organized by Ambassador Page
in London for the relief Of tho
Belgians. Herbert Hoover Is chairman
of this committee. After two weeks of
diplomatic parleying this committee sue
ceeded in making international treaties
with England, Holland and Germany
whereby food supplies could be sent into
Belgium for the Belgians. England
agreed to lift her embargo. releasing
hundreds Of tons of food for immediate
trans shipment to Belgium, on condition
that it should be immediately returned
to expedite the shipment of foods into
Belgium. and Germany agreed not to
seize this food supply intended for the
BelEianS.
Purchasing Food.
To replace this food loaned by Eng
land, and to send further supply into
Belgium, the minister here spent $780,
900 more of the money contributed to
the central committee for food sup
plies in this country and shipped them
from New York. He now has about
$4,000 left, and is holding 1t as a re-
serve fund with which to supply what
ever any community lacks In collecting
enough to freight ship with relief for
Belgium.
The only way that food can be sent
into Belgium is through the London
committee organized by Brand Whit
lock and Ambassador Page. and all this
supply has to be consigned to Brand
Whitlock in Brussels. who is personally
taking charge of its distribution
through committees he has organized
in Belgium under the American flag.
All the foodstuffs must be bought In
this country, because there is no food
to be bought in England: and II there
were, famine prices would have to be
paid All of the money is to be spent
in the United States, and this is aiding
in stimulating trade in this country
and keeping money at home ana III
circulation.
Free transportation on practically all
the railroads of the United States has
been given and arrangements have
been made whereby there VIII be no
charge for ocean freight, so thaI al
moneys contributed for relief will go
into food or clothing for the women
and children in the suffering country,
so sorely in need.
Already three shiploads have oeen
sent from New York. Philadelphia has
sent one and is now freightina another
ship, which is to sail about December
IS. California expects to have snip
load ready by December !. Baltimore
is collecting for a shipload and expects
to have 1t ready by January I. Min
neapolis and neighboring territory is
to send two shiploads of flour. 10000
barrels in all. about December Is.
Question Of Clothing.
While there is urgent need for cloth
ing and fuel as well as food. these ar
ticles are still liable to seizure by the
Germans. 1t is hoped that international
arrangements may be made soon
whereby these two great needs of the
invaded country may also be supplied
by Americans. Contributions Of cloth
ing that have been made in this coun-
try are going to the Belgian needy, but
not those still in Belgium. They are
being supplied to the Belgian refugees
| in northern France and elsewhere.
About 1000 large cases of clothing have
been already shipped through the con-
sui general in New York. Much Of this
| is of good material. especially warm.
seryiceable overcoatS.
| AS an Illustration Of the spirit that Is
| being shown throughout the country,
| only last night a telegram came to the
legation here from the Camp Fire Club
d.
| stating that they are going to forego
one of their usual winter banQuets and
send the $1,000 thus saved to the Bel
| gian relief fund. This telegram was
| from the headquarters at As Wall
| street, New York, and was signed by
the president, George D. Pratt: secre-
tary, Arthur F. Rice. and treasurer.
| Edmund Seymour.
| Not only has the Belgian minister ex-
pressed hearty appreciation of the
| generosity of Americans to his coun-
| trymen in time of need. but the King
| of Belgium himself, writing from the
! trenches near Dunkirk, and the queen
| in a personal letter to an American
| automatic agent, have expressed their
| gratitude in warmest terms for the
| prompt and whole-hearted manner in
which Americans are feeding the starv-
Ing of Belgium.
The Relief Committee.
The central committee of the Belgian
| relief fund for the women and chill
dren and other on-combatants. is as
follows:
| Honorary president. Cardinal Glib
bons, Archbishop of Baltimore: presi-
dent, Emmanuel Havenith. the Belgian
! minister: members, Larz Anderson, Mrs
Larz Anderson. Bernard N. Baker
Truxton Beale, John R Bland. Edward
w. Box, William c. Edgar. Mrs. Will
liam Corcoran Eustis. Mrs. Charles M
Ffoulke, Charles c. Harrison. tr.. Nine
Emmanuel Havenith, James ]. Hill. n
Monroe Hopkins, Mrs. N. Monroe Hop