The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-01-08

mugger Of such conditions, but the
good Holland citizens see that the
children are cared for and that the
babies have milk. Devoted priests
teach the children, and the value OF
military organization Eliminates the
whole panoply Of misery. Yet the
best Of the refugee camps would seem
to American citizens like the dark and
dreadful life OF an underworld, In
which is neither work, purpose. nor
opportunity. 1t Is sight repugnant
to civilization.
The most heartrending thing this
novelist reports having seen is the
patience of every Belgian whatever
his state "No man, no woman rail.
ed or acclaimed against the horror OF
their situation. The pathos Of lonely,
starving, apathetic endurance is tragic
beyond words Further:
None begs, none asks for money,
and yet on the faces OF these frontier
refugees saw stark hunger, the
weakness come OF long weeks of fam.
inc. One man. one fortunate man
from Verciers. told, me he could pur'
chase as much as two shillings and
eightpence worth Of food for himself
his wife. and child for week.
Think Of it, American citizens!
Sixty-six cents worth of food for
man, his wife, and child for a whole
week, If he were permitted to pur.
chase that much! Sixty-six cents
That is what an average American
citizen pays for his dinner in his own
home. He can not get breakfast, he
can only get half a breakfast. for that
at the Waldorf or the Plaza in New
York.
"This man was only allowed to pur
chase that much food if he could, be
cause If he purchased more he would
be taking from some one else, and
they were living on rations for the
week which would represent the food
of an ordinary man for day. A
rich man can have no more than
poor man. 1t is a democracy Of fam
inc.
"a L
the average American household In
enc day to keep Belgian for fort
night in health and strength. They
want in Belgium 100000 tons of food
a month. That is their normal require
ment. The American relief COMMITTEES
is asking for 5000 tons a month, one
quarter Of the normal requirements
one-half of a soldiers rations for each
Belgian. The American committee
needs s5,O00,OO0 a month until next
harvest. It is a huge sum, but it mus
be Forthcoming.
U. s. Has the Chance.
"Of all the great powers Of the
world the United States is the only
one not at war or in peril Of war. o.
all the foremost nations of the WORLD
the United States is the only one
that can save Belgium from starvation
if she will. She was the only natior
that Germany would allow foothoot
for humanity's and for Christ's SAKE
in Belgium. Such an opportunity
such responsibility, no nation eve1
had before in the history of the world
Spain and Italy join with her, but the
initiative and resources and o-ganiza
ton areI hers.
75aAround Belgium is ring of steel
Within that ring of steel are disap
pearing and forever disappearing pop
ulation. Towns, like Dendermonde
that were Of 10000 people. have now
1000, and in Dendermonde 1,20t
houses have fallen under the iron and
FIRE Of war. Into that vast graveyard
and camp Of the desolate only the
United States enters with an adequate
and responsible organization upon the
mission of humanity.
mo such opportunity was ever Civ
en- to a people, no such test ever
came to christian people in all the
records Of time. Will the American
nation rise to the chance given to II
to prove that its civilization is a real
thing and that its acts measure uI
with its inherent and professed chris
tianity?
II am profound believer in the
sreat-hearteoness of the United
states, and there is not an American
OF German origin who ought not glad
ly and freely to give to the relief OF
people who, unless the world feeds
the,u, must be the remnant Of ma
- - 49, a.