The Washington herald., 1914-11-02
ROCKEFELLER TO
Feed BELGIANS
Foundation Prepares to Rush
Quantity Of Supplies in
Special Steamer.
WILL SPEND MILLIONS
Commission VIII Visit Stricken Nation
to Determine Amount Of
Aid Necessary.
WILL SPEND MILLIONS

New York, Nov. 1.-The Rockefeller
Foundation. through John d. Rockefellef,
r.. its president. tonight announced that
on Tuesday It win ship 4ooo tons Of food
supplies. valued at s276Ooo, to the relief
Of suffering noncombatant Belgians.
An expert commission Of investigators
/ also will be sent abroad to learn what
further aid may be needed.
Mr.. Rockefeller tonight gave out the
following statement on the Foundations s
new field of labor:
TT having become clear that one Of
the most terrible and appalling effects
Of the war viii fall upon the nom
combatants-those most innocent Of any
part in the cause or the conduct of the
conflict. the Rockefeller Foundation has
determined to exert itself to 1.-the extent
IL necessary, Of millions Of dollars, for
the relief OF noncombatants In the va
rious countries involved.
This action IL taken as q natural step
In fulfilling the chartered purpose Of
the Foundation, namely, to promote the
weIl-being Of mankind throughout the
world
Gets Plea from Page.
Tn order to obtain expert opinion as
to the time, place and means Of rem
dering aid most effectively, the Founda-
ton has arranged to send to Europe
"tN--1-- N--N neat Ac" Ndyb = COLlIul18lOn
which shall visit the countries affected
and advise Us first hand The chair.
man Of the commission win be Mr. Wick
nffe Rose, director general Of the In
ternational Health Commission. whose
successful experience in organizing the
campaign against hookworm disease In
various parts Of the world. peculiarly
fits him for the task.
The ending OF such a mission will not
a. Al
agencies OF relief, for the need is wide
spread and millions Of people are suffer-
ing. All steps which the Rockefeller
foundation takes will OF course be alb
solutely neutral"
To avoid delay and to provide relief at
the earliest possible moment for the suf-
fering, the foundation has chartered the
largest neutral ship available In New
York harbor and purchased a fun car
goe Of supplies to be dispatched immedi-
ately.
This action win supplement- the efforts
of the Belgian relief committee. Of which
Robert W. Deforest is chairman. The
following cablegrams have been re-
ceived from Mr.. Page, the American
at London:
'Belgians on verge Of starvation. I
emphatically regard II most opportune
to help. Committee TO distribute food con-
sists Of prominent Americans here ana
influential Belgians In Belgium and
American minister and consuls In Bel
gium, all under my direction. British
government forbids export Of food and
no food can be bought on the continent
Help needed Is food and clothing for
women and children" 49,.
1T will require 1.0oo.Ooo a month for
seven or eight months TO prevent star
vation."
On Tuesday morning the Massapequa
Of the New York and Porto Rico Steam
boat Company will sail direct to Rotter-
dam, Holland. laden with 1000 tons OF
supplies. consigned to the consul. The
cargo viii consist of: $500 barrels OF
flour, 1900 packet 600 pounds each) Of
rice, 5000 bags coo pounds each) Of beans,
200 boxes 600 pounds each) Of bacon.