The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1915-04-29
SAVED eY AMERICAN HUSTLE.

American hustle" Is acknowledged
by English newspapers to have saved
the Belgian people from starvation.
The Manchester Guardian says that
america made good where an ounce
less Of we'll directed hustle might have
cost a thousand lives.' and that 1.-THE
record of the commission win be one
OF the most inspiring pages in Amer
lean history
The story of the relief commissions
work, as reviewed by the Guardian, is
record OF rapid and efficient organ
lzation for and execution of gigantic
work. circumstances preventing aid
from either Germany or her enemies,
the commission had to rely ON private
support Herbert Hoover. an Ameri-
can mining engineer. was elected chair
man and picked most of his executive
committee of twenty from men Of his
own calling. At the outset the COM
mission bought e250.O0O worth Of food
on its own credit and rushed 1t to Bel
gium within fortnight after the COM
mission was formed and before organi-
cation was completed Estimating that
II would have to feed 10000, 900 people,
the commission chartered 1870 steamships
and by diplomacy secured for them
Immunity from attack and search. The
Belgian railroads being monopohzed by
the German army, the commission sur
veyed the canals and arranged to trans
port supplies In barges.
Its charter having been signed In the
middle of October, the commission
landed the first cargo of $500 tons of
flour-enough to feed the people for
a day and half-on November 1 at
Z - -
slant stream of provisions has poured
into Belgium at an expense of $780,
900 a month Distribution Is managed
by the original Belgian rehef organl-
zations and by voluntary workers head
ed by the American Rhodes scholars
Rations consisting Of small loaf, po-
tatoes. salt, coffee and soup. are is
sued twice daily. the soup containing
meat, several kinds of vegetables and
crusts. Those who can afford II pay
trifiing sum for food tickets: those
who cannot receive food as a right and
not as charity. Detailed balance sheets
are constantly issued and complete
card index system insures that all
shall have their share and no more.
As the Guardian expresses it, a lit
tie group OF men who have had no pre-
vious experience OF relief work have
tackled this as they would the biggest
and most inspiring business proposition
| that could be put before them" The
article says in conclusion:
Already 1t Is as though in the
| welter OF the war new state had
arisen--a state to which the belli-
| gerents defer in the heat of their
| passion, whose heads talk with
| kings and commanders on equal
| terms whose mercantile marine en-
| joys an immunity which even neu-
| trails cannot command, and whose
| members have safe conduct and
| free passage where no others may
| go. II Is a state whose territory
| Is externally secure in the hearts
| of a grateful people.
| The American people haye good
cause for pride in the work of Mr..
Hoover and his associates. They can
best show their pride by backing up
the commissions efforts with funds.
Spring has opened in Belgium, but not
until new crops are harvested In that
country win the need abate. and there
is danger that the course of hostilities
may hay waste the crops before har-
vest Belgium is likely to be depend
ent for food on the bounty of the world
until the war decides It's fate or DRIFTS
away from It's borders. -Oregondan.