The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-10-23
us. TO FEED
BELGIUM
Conditions Declared to Be
Already Critical in That
Country
HALF-MILLION DEPEND
ON CHARITY ALONE
And Through Winter l,000,-
900 Must Be Given
Food

London, Oct. %. After diplomatic ne
gotiations extending over several weeks
in which Walter Hines Page, the Ameri.
can ambassador, acted as intermediary
between Belgium, England and Germany
an agreement has been reached by which
the starving Belgans will be fed by an
American commission headed by Herbert
Il G. Hoover of California, who has acted
as chairman of the American relief COM
! Americans resident in London and Brus-
! sells. 1t is estimated that 100000 Bel
/ gans who are still in Belgium are on the
verge OF starvation Early in the nego-
! tiations for methods to relieve these peo-
! pie Germany declared her willingness to
assist, but she declined to give the guar
antees requested by the British foreign
Office until the latter would lift tho
embargo on foodstuffs The situation
was becoming desperate, when Ainbassa-
dor Page proposed that Mr. Hoover I'M
dertake the work Germany immediate
~ acceded to this plan, saying she would
extend every possible aid to such com
mission, and England as promptly re-
moved the restrictions on food exports.
Formal organization of the commission
viii not be completed until meeting IS
held, but Mr. Hoover already has pur-
chased with the funds supplied by the
Belgian relief committee $4,000 worth
OF food, which will be sent to Belgium
on a specially chartered ship by way OF
Rotterdam Saturday.
The food situation in Belgium is be
coming absolutely critical Already
over 100000 persons are being assisted
bv means of bread lines, according to
the committees reports there being over
100000 OF these persons IN Brussels
alone. The supply Of food for these
bread stations il = estimated, will not
Inst more than week longer. IT is eX
pccted that the number OF persons re-
quiring relief will increase to million
within month, stream OF specially |
steamships will soon start for
Holland with their cargoes consigned TO |
officers of the commission at various /
places in Belgium. These officers will be i
under the direct control of the commits
sion and will be located in London, Rot
terdam, Antwerp, Brussels, Client, Liege
and other points When necessary the
viii cooperate with the Bel
( ian national relief committee. which has
headquarters in Brussels, and to insure
effective working the members OF the
American commission in Belgium will be
made members of the Belgian organiza
ion But care VIII be taken TO see that
his cooperation does not affect the neu-
.rality OF the commission, which is 90
work under the approval Of both the
English and German governments. Half
million dollars were placed at the dis
,osal OF Mr. Hoover Wednesday from
he various Belgian funds, and through h
Ambassador Page Sl50O00 more will be
urncd over 10 the committee to-day
Speaking Of the work OF the commits ,
ION. Mr. Hoover said. I'VE are advised I
~ Brand Whtlock, American minister Z
o Belgium, that the position Of Belgium
Nth regard 10 the food supply is becom
ng absolutely critical inasmuch as
here are seven million people in Bel
um and the country imports sixty per
cnt. Of its food. Imports have entirely !
eased and a. the country has been de-
uded Of its accumulated crops. virtually
he whole population is faced with fam
lc The problem there is infinitely
rcater than the care of the refugees ,
no have left Belgium. The restrictions
ut upon imports into the Netherlands
v England have made il virtually i'm
ossible for the Belgians to secure sup
lies ~ foodstuhS from neutral coun ,
rics and the creation of machinery !
hirh can secure such imports to their !.
,uutry has become 4 vital necessity