Evening star., 1914-12-27
November ?. 1914, by the Spanish and

November 2. 1914, by the Spanish and
American ministers in Brussels:
| I'VE declare that the statement of
| NJ. Francqui director of the Societe
Generate de Begique), based on care
| full estimate made by authorities en-
| tirely familiar with their own coun-
| try and its present material needs, IL
| that the minimum monthly require
ments of the Belgian population are
| $4,000 tons of grain, $4,000 tons or
| maize and 5000 tons of rice and peas.
| This estimate is accurate and wholly
| reasonable, is made by conservative
| and practical men of affairs. and may
| be accepted as an expression of the
needs of the popula ton.
| To meet these requirements the COM
| mission for relief in Belgium, whose
chief offices are London wall build
| ing, London, has now completed its
| orga n ia ton in the United States "on
| a basis adequate for the emergency
| of sending into Belgium about one
million pounds worth of food every
month"
Sufficient funds have been secured
| to enable the commission to supply
vessels to take cargoes of relief do
| mated in any part of the world, free OF
cost. to Rotterdam. and to distribute
the food in Belgium. Offices have been
opened at II Broadway, New York,
under the charge of prominent Amer
lean business men, who. like the other
members of the commission, are prac-
tically giving all their time to this
work of philanthropy.
Finally, the following document re-
cords the official permit from Baron
Won der Goltz, the German governor of
Belgium. to the American minister in
Brussels: Il welcome with lively sat
iisfaction the undertaking of the comlte
de secourS ct dalimentation, and do
not hesitate formally and distinctly to
give assurance that foodstuffs of all
kinds imported by the committee your
excellency's patronage, for the use OF the
civil populace in Belgium, shal be kept
exclusively or the use Of the Belgian
populace; that these foodstuffs shall
hereafter be exempt from requisition
by the military authorities. and finally
that they shall remain entirely at the
disposition of the committee" The ma
chinery of distribution is thus complete.
Blacklist Case in History.
Such is the record.
If there be in all history SO black,
so pitiful case. I do not know it. A
nations life torn up-not by the roots
as yet. for faith and fortitude remain
but mown off level with the ground.
Belgium is defiowered, and done to liv-
ing death: Belgium is starving.
If the hands of pity be not extended
swiftly. the shame of this must forever
haunt the dreams of all mankind. If
Belgium be left to starve. how shall
the world ever again sleep quiet in it's
bed?
America, you are great and generous.
You stand for humanity as no country
has ever vet stood. You alone. of all
the nations fortunate enough to be out
side the ring of this mad war, have
wealth and strength for a task like
this. You alone can keep the flame of
hope alive, the pulse of life beating in
this starving nation.
The world looks to you, America:
looks to you to do justice to your own
great heart. You have already lifted
this burden of good deeds from the
ground: shoulder it as you alone know
how. with that fine, fierce energy of
yours. See this work OF rescue through
and all the world shall bless you.
No words have eloquence to voice the
misery and peril of that little country.
Words are an insult There is. there
can be, no American. of what origin
soever, who has not suffered, thinking
of Belgium-thinking of that charred
land. Restoration will come. But to