The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-05

States came to realize the conditions
which faced millions of non-com-
batants. And now the time IL at hand
when some of the greatest of the many
relief agencies are getting ready for
publication as complete reports of
their stewardship as IL Is possible to
make. so that those who contributed
money or goods may know just what
they have lone.
Certain of the principal agencies.
such. for instance, as the Rockefeller
Foundation, know to a cent just what
has been expended and where the
money vent. and to whom. and for
what purpose. Another of correspond
ing exactitude is the Commission for
the Relief Of Belgium. and these are
but two Of that group which have ac-
curate detailed information. But when
one remembers that literally hundreds,
II not thousands, of civic bodies in
small towns as well as great cities
contributed in the early days of the
war; that not only great organizations
threw themselves into the work, but
even sewing societies in little towns.
and choirs of village churches. and
bands of little children. then becomes
more difficult the effort to estimate
the total amount of relief furnished
BY the United States.
And this difficulty is increased by
the fact that for some time after
Europe was plunged into h war
there were no adequate facilities In
many parts OF the Continent for re-
ceiving, listing n distributing the
food. money, clothing and other sup
plies which were sent so quickly. when
quick measures were asked. Thou
sands of packages, cases, boxes Of all
shapes and sizes. for instance, were
shipped from all owe this country.
simply addressed to the American Am
bassador at Paris.
An enormous number of these were
discharged on the docks at Havre,
where they were opened by customs
officials, examined and then left there
because h Ambassador, ut first had
no facilities for receiving and distrib-
uting them. So great was the guam
tity of supplies that the customs Off
Gals had all they could do in the first
weeks to open the cases, quickly ex-
anime the contents and replace as
many Of the coverings as possible. The
others were left open to the sunshine,
rain and dust. because II was physi-
cally impossible to nail them up again.
Retur ing travellers from Havre have
told how these supplies covered all the
available lock room and were piled
high far back of the docks until the
relief work became organized and until
Il was possible to take care of the in
coming Hood of goods.
That this happened elsewhere than
At Hayre may be surmised, but to less
extent. Yet the instance just men
toned may give some idea Of the
difficulty experienced by those who
are e~ndeavOring 10 ascertain the APP
prOximate sum total of relief fur
E;shed during the first year OF war
by citizens and institutions of the
United States. Keeping this in mind,
keeping in mind also the fact that
relief societies are numbered by hun
dreds in hundreds Of localities, It
may he said that nnthlng but "A rough
estimate Is possible at the present
time. 1t is not impossible, however,
that 10000, 900 may represent rough
y the sum Of American relief. that,
by the way, being just about me-
third Of the money spent by the sin
ge State of Kansas for automobiles
during the past year.
One of the earliest organizations
IN the field was the superbly con-
sttuted Commission for the Relief
OF Belgium, and in its last report the
statement Is made that, including
grain and foodstuffs sent from United
states ports, its shipments have
reached a total Of 45S,2l6 tons, and
mat including cargoes sent from
canadian and other ports the approx
'lnate value Of these shipments is
nearly $4,000, 900. The commission
mas issued constant statements as to
the raising Of money, the purchase
OF goods, the shipments and their dis
Ulbutl0n, The general public as well
es individual subscribers to this tre-
mendo1s agenCy for suCcor have been
Kept fully Informed, yet many per-
sons have overlooked repeated state
WentS as 10 how this huge sum OF
tO"op.0oo was raised.
For this reason It may he said that
py far tho greater part was contrib
uled hv the Bclgians themselves. or
W" SNo,0 00, 0O0 possibly not more thar
ron $4,000, 900 to sl2, 900 900 repre-
Nh'S subscriptions from all the rest
" the world, Including of course the
United States, Just how or where
me original fund was created or kept
mas Interested a great many Amerl-
vans some ~ whom may he sur
p'Sed To know even at this late day
mat instead Of waiting for help from
we outside the Belgian people re-
FUSED 10 be crushed by the terrible
NOV or a year ago and at once set to