New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-26
HUNGER ONLY GIFT
TEUTON BABIES
DR.. Berkemeier Tells OF
Distress in Plea to Send
Food by Parcels Post.
DEATH LADEN SHIPS
BASIS OF HIS APPEAL
u. s., Permitting Shipment OF
War Supplies, Urged 10 Pass
Milk for Helpless Children.

A Christmas that brought hunger TO
millions of children in Germany is
pictured in a plea TO the United States
to permit shipments Of food by parcels
post. The Rev DR.. G. c. Berkemeier'
superintendent Of the Wartburg Or
rhans' Farm School, i'm Mount Vernon
as a member Of the Citizens Commit
tee on Food Shipments, which recently
forwarded condensed milk, rice and lard
to Germany in frst-class registered
mail packages. protests against the gov
ernment's discrimination which sane
tions ammunition and bans nourishment
for starving babies.
Gas head Of a large orphans home
where hundreds Of unfortunate children
are comforted," he says, "the plight OF
the little ones in the Fatherland strong
ly appeals to my heart. When it comes
to taking care Of little children, all en-
mites should cease.
christmas, radiant with divine love
as manifested at the humble manger IN
Bethlehem, also brings to mind the
thought Of blood-stained Herod, who
sought to destroy the Child and brought
infamy on his name by the slaughter
Of the innocents.
eve hear that millions Of children
in the Fatherland are endangered by a
scarcity of milk. Good, charitable per-
sons, many of them relatives Of suffer
ing families in Germany or Austria
Hungary, are not only willing, but
anxious, to send help to the innocent
little babes VINO have committed no
crime but have had the misfortune to
be born into this cruel world when it
seems that not Christ, but Herod,
Pleads for Peace Cargoes.
eve live in a land where milk and
honey flows. We have an abundance Of
what the little ones need. We hold
these gifts Of rescue in our hand and
are seeking a way TO send them over.
I'VE have humbly and insistently pc
titioued our government to cary these
gifts By parcel post. While every ship
leaving our shores carries things that
kill TO the other side. 10 seems lmpOs-
sible to send over food for the suffer
ing babes
as this Christian civilization and a
manifestation OF the Christmas splut.
II the facts were known and understoo
By our people ! am confident that
hundred million voices would rise m
protest against such cruelty; and while
we as a nation desire a free sea %
desire that has ANONYMOUSLY come to
uaueht--wc. at least, insist that the
warm flow Of the gulf stream Of Chris
,au charity shall not be interrupted.
Indications Of the conditions in Ger
many which DR.. Berkemeier's commit
tee seeks to relieve were revealed Eere
on December IL, when the committee
paid so cents a pound TO send supplies
by frst-class mail on the kristlanla-
fiord. sailing for Christiauia. Postage
on these seven-pound packages amount
ed to S527. The steamship was on the
seas before the postal authorities dis
covered that by registering the mail
they had guaranteed the delivery Of
food through the Allied blockade
Carl Scburz, treasurer Of the COM
mittee. said the organization did not
plan 10 make further use of the first
class mails. Requests from various
PARTS Of the country 10 have the food
in Germany By Christmas time, he said.
had accounted for payment of the
unusually high rate of postage.