Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-10-24
Only One of the Appeals.

Today there are great opportunities
for a Jim Fisk or like philanthropist
Of impulse in the relief of human suf-
fering. II any multi-millionaire fears
dying rich, he might lift some of the
burden Of woe from the hearts Of Bel
gian mothers, who are now trying
to prolong the spark of life in starv-
ing children. Well-fed. comfortable,
prosperous, happy millions of Ameri-
cans can we'll send few of the PEN
MES, nickels and dimes they uselessly
squander. to relieve in some measure,
the unutterable suffering in Europe.
a London dispatch under date Of
Oct. 20. said:
The population of Belgium steadily Is
becoming what a French writer terms "a
nation in exile" The burden of his
tragedy is falling upon Great Britain
Between 3OO, 900 and 100000 have crossed
into Holland, and equal numbers nave
locked southwark into France, Wniie
more than 100000 have arrived on English
shores and are continuing to pour across
The English channel by thousands daily
While their eventual repatriation or
absorption into the populations OF other
countries looms on the horizon as one OF
the greatest problems in modern Euro
pean history, the question of today is
the care of the exiles and the feeding or
the millions of persons remaining In Bel
GUM, whose industries are paralyzed.
Eight hundred Belgians slept on the
floors of public buildings in London last
night Many of them were people of re.
hnement accustomed to the luxuries OF
life until their fight.
The hospitality of the people of Folke-
stone and Dover is being taxed to the
limit while the seacoast town of Deal Is
swamped under the wave of refugees,
who are coming in schooners. trawlers,
and sailing vessels, half starved and with
their nerves wrecked from terror and
the privations they have undergone.
Londons streets and parks are full OF
Belgian officers and soldiers, some OF
whom have been wounded. others
among them have become separated from
their commands and Joined the exodus of
refugees. The Belgian legation has Is
sued instructions to all the ablebodled
men to rejoin the army:
large proportion of the exiles are
looking forward to making their homes
IN the United States when they can OBJ
tain funds to go there.
That is bare outline; volumes could
not give the awful details. Any Of US
would gladly feed as many as possible
OF these suffering hordes, should they
come to our doors, but we neglect to
offer our mite te the responsible COM
mittees now being organized every
where. It is not that Americans have
NO sympathy for the suffering ones or
that they cannot splendidly afford to
give, but it is procrsstination--or is
1t distrust? Do we fear that commit
tees receiving these funds will not
see to it that they are properly APP
piled?
We do not know; but we do know
that the American people are not re-
spending with characteristic generos-
ity In time of great need.
Today the editor received letter
from the Dollar Christmas Fund for
Homeless Belgians' committee, just
organized in New York. Henry Clews
Is the treasurer. Melville E. Stone,
general manager of the Associated
Press. 10 q member Of the honorary
committee. DIR. William T. Hornaday
and Col. George Harvey are others
Of the group Of men of nationwide
reputation. Here is portion Of the
appeal of. this committee. signed by
Henry clews
70 the Editor
IN yferv OF the eo.srffess anneals hott
rational and local which have been made