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

the Atlantic have not deemed II neces-
sary to give way their hand-to tell
in minute detail just how 1t was that
as o as Germany hurled her multi
tudes OF armed men and heavy artil-
lery into little Belgium, devastating
the land, bringing the people face To
face with starvation, there suddenly
appeared in the United States-ap-
peared at once. mind you-a sum of
$4,000, 900 with which to buy food and
rush 1t back to Belgium by the fastest
steamships available. Who provided
that $4,000, 900? Where did II come
FROM? How was it permitted to leave
Belgium In cash and securities Of all
kinds in spite of the German occupa-
ton?
These are questions that have been
asked over n over again. The facts
will be known to all the world. some
day. perhaps. Meanwhile the story
goes. unconfirmed from official
sources of course. that leading men OF
Belgium for years apprehended just
such action as Germany finally took.
They knew. did those statesmen, mer-
chants, ~financ!ers OF Belgium, that
some day the whirlwind would burst
upon them, for they saw signs Of its
coming for years in the growing in
tensity OF feeling between Germany
and Britain. And they got ready as
far as possible for the cataclysm.
Unlike good. old Father Noah. they
couldn't build an ark of safety and
house therein the 100000 people of
Belgium, keeping them secure un'll
the flood subsidized. But they did the
best thing they could do. which was
10 lay aside in a place from which 1t
could be made instantly available the
sum of so, 900 900 with which to buy
grain and other foods so that those
who survived its first shock need not
! starve. This fund was used and is
being used to this day.
The impression has gone forth that
the United States is feeding n nation
of $500, 900 people" In one way this
may he true. for foodstuffs grown
here unquestionably are being drawn
! upon as Belgium's principal source of
supply. Hu to suppose that the
American people are giving this enor-
nous contribution to Belgium without
payment Is an error. At the present
time only about $500, 900 of Belgians
out of a population of $500, 900 are
receiving free food. The other $780,
900 are paying for the foo hat goes
to their little land, paying for 1t
gladly. because wen under the Ger
mar occupation the Belgians are too
proud to accept charity when they
can in any way obtain work and
thereby earn any money whatever.
c. the s1O OO0 OOO o~ripin1llV sub-
scribed by wealthy Be,g!ans was used
to purchase food in America and the
larger part of that food was sold to
the Belgtans who refused to accept
charity and he money they paid
was used to buy more food. Thus
the ball has been kept rolling month
after month for more than a year, and
the $lO,0 00, 900 referred TO n the
extra $40. 0OO, 900 or SO subscribed by
all the world has been turned over and
over. 1t should be noted furthermore
| that not one cent of the subscriptions
from the world at large has gone for
Office or other cost of admin
istration. Every cent contributed a
been used to purchase actual food.
Many individual efforts might be
mentioned as showing how all over
the world success was achieved in
raising money for the Belgians. For
example, Hugh j. Ward, a native of
Philadelphia hut for some pears past
a theatrical manager in Australia, last
May organized a Belgian Day, feat
ures Of which We're a great street
pageant, an open air theatrical per-
Torrance and other entertainments
OF like nature. On May IA this gen.
eral programme was duplicated in
every large city OF the Commonwealth
and within twenty-four hours the sum
OF $1,000 900 had been raised. As a
whole Mr., Ward alone a raised
SO. 900, 900 for Belgian relief.
In an entirely different way a COM
mittee OF American physicians has
subscribed s7.779.S4 for Belgium, and
countless other bodies of men n
women have done likewise. In a few
DAYS the people of Ithaca raised more
than so. 200; In Albany May - was
set apart as Tag Day and the women
and girls obtained $4,000; Tompkins
county New York, gathered between
1000 and $4,000 In a few days and
other counties in Now York state
as well as in every State of the Union
came forward with their contributions,
At present the Commission for the
Relief of Belgium is spending betwecn
50, 900, 900 and $40, OO0, 900 a month.
As It became apparent early That
tho Calamities Of war would he fet
with special severity by non-combat-
ants the Rockefeller Foundation in
October. 1914. decided to send a war
relief commission to Europe in order
to obtain expert advice To be based
on a direct study OF conditions so as
to render relief prompt and effective.