Evening star., 1915-01-07
Containers Distributed by The
Star for Belgian Relief Meet
With a Hearty Welcome.
LIST OF FOODS SUPPLIED
WITH EACH RECEPTACLE
Chairman Hoover Sends Commenda-
tion Of Mrs. J. K. Darling's Plan
in Letter From London.

Packing of the combination food boxes
or the Belgian babies is popular work
of charity these days for Washington
Sympathizers. These boxes are being
distributed by The Star and may be
filled at any grocer's by those who wish
10 donate them to the relief work. A
list is supplied with the box OF the
several foods and the relative quantities
as designated by DR.. Harvey W. Wiley.
Instructions are also furnished, printed
IN six languages. directing the recipients
how to modify the milk for the needy
babies.
Mrs. Joseph r. Darling. who conceived
the idea of these food combination
boxes. has received a letter giving en-
thusiastic support Of the work from
Herbert c. Hoover, chairman OF the
commission for relief in Belgium, or
ganized in London through the good
Offices of American Ambassador Page
His letter says. in part:
Letter From Relief Chairman.
"It certainly seems to US that your
idea is excellent. 1t may interest you
TO know that in carrying on our work
in Belgium we have amplified the regu-
lar relieving officers work, which mas
visited in Belgium for some time.
"AIl the dairies have been taken over
hy our distributing agents and special
distributing stations organized ior sup
plying children: the needs OF the chiI-
tors attached to our stan, and they are
supplied with such nutritious food as
is necessary for their well being
Mr.. Hoover also sent to MIS-. Darnhs
an interesting summary or now 1ne
food contributed by Americans IS dis
tributed in Belgium, as follows:
Method of Distributing Food.
Each destitute person in the COM
nunity becomes the subject OF speclal
investigation by the communal on1cers.
If the case warrants he is given free
non-transferable ticket. which entities
him to a definite ration twice daily at
the communal canteens.
The work people of small means are
required to pay for the tickets; tney
receive the same ration as the destl-.
tute. The actual cost OF the railons
for which the ticket provides is about
9 francs per month. 1t consists OF 5oo
grams of bread, portion OF pota,
toes, a small amount of codee, sait ana
a liter of soup containing Vesetaoles
and a lump of meat. The number of
canteens in each commune depends
upon the necessities of the district, the
food being prepared IN communal
kitchens. Supplementary 10 the Or
binary canteens for adults are those
devoted exclusively to the care OF chill
dren under three years of age. A chlid
receives one of five different kinds or
tickets, according to the decision OF tne
communal doctor. the kind depending
upon the age and state of health OF
the child These tickets call for Ger
tain proportion of milk, cocoa and otner
nourishing food adapted to the child S
requirements. Children between three
and twelve years of age receive their
rations at the schools.
Glasses Able to Purchase Food.
The middle and upper classes are
able to purchase food, but as there is
no bread in Belgium except that sup
piled by the communes, they are COM
peIled to purchase it from that source.
Under the present arrangement the
communes sell -four to the bakers, the
list of the bakers customers having
been approved by the communal ofh-
GERS, and the amount of bread which
the bakers can deliver is fixed. A small
profit is secured from the sale of flour,
and a further source of income to the
committee arises from the arrangement
under which the communes are COM
PEELED to pay to the committee
francs per month on all tickets issued
by the commune. The money for this
payment is obtained by the commune
from the sale of tickets and from other
resources. The object of requiring the
communes to pay this amount is to
guarantee economy in issuing free
tickets.
1t is not yet possible to estimate the
income of the Comite National through
the sale of flour and the royalty charg-
ed from the commune on the sale of
the tickets. The communes thus re-
ceive all breadstuffs from the commit
tee and also are In case of need given
advances by way of loans by the COM
mittee with which to purchase the
supplementary provision required for
the ,canteens. 1t Is estimated that the
revenue of the committee from these
sales and royalties will amount to some-
thing like one-half the value of the
foodstuffs imported by the commission
for relief in Belgium. 1t is hoped that
a means for transfer of this money
may be found and with it the gift foods