Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-09-23
s20,00O,000 sum
TOTAL GIVEN FOR
BELGIAN RELIEF

Correspondence of the Associated Press
Landau, Gov, on Tho Gre, conn,ete re-
,or+ of .ho communication, for rolief in Pol
yi,,,, oo,,or,,,r ,ho erst oigbt months of
its existo,ce rovo.ls that in income and
ex,e,di+uro tho org,,i,atior forms tho
yroato,t roliof r,oven,opt of history The
commission has collected md dIsbursed
fftv million dollars fifteen million Of
which has been contributed In the form of
money or rift food nv the people OF the
United states and the british empire and
Belgium itself. The bulk of the income
has como from other than purely philan-
thronic sources hut the raising of this
enormous sum has been exclusively the
work of the commission. which by finan-
rial ARRANGEMENTS with Belgian individ-
uals and institutions, exchange OF cur.
rencv with Belgium and n system of pro-
vding the solvent Belgian inhabitants, has
maintained the entire population of a ma
ton for almost n year
A remarkable feature Of the report
which has hitherto received but little no.
tice is the effort being made by the Bel
CLANS to HELM themselves. Over 80 per
cent Of the money expended by the com
mission in benevolence is being furnished
by Begians abroad and n large amount
also is being supplied by Begians in Bel
GUM.
In discussing the report Herbert &.
Hoover chairman of the commission, said
at may cause more surprise among Amer
leans who believe that the United States
is provisioning the Belgian and French
people in the track of war, that only some
thing over six million dollars in food.
clothes and money have come from the
United States. However, the American
public should realize that the commission
In its organization, working personnel and
political aspects is distinctly American
The American charitable support, 80 ear
~ and promptly given came at the very
inception of the movement when such
backing was vital to the success of the
organization in giving II time to build.
This support gave the commission its
foundation from which II acquired the
moral prestige that enabled 1t to secure
vitality necessary concessions from the
various bellgerent governments. Nor Is
the necessity for this valued support at all
over The problem becomes more difficult
every day for the number Of destitute has
! increased from 100000 last October to O.
| 10000 in June, and now grows a the rate
of 2o,oD month. And our resources
large as they are cannot keep pace with
the need if the charitable public loses in
| terest in our work. Moreover, the con-
tnucd support of America is necessary to
provide the commission with the moral
prestige an American institution which
it now possesses in the sight of the warning
powers and the maintenance of this pres
tge can only he secured by the continued
sentimental and practical backing Of the
American people"
! The report includes detailed statements
of the commissions work. such as COM
pletc accounts of the disposition of 195
cargoes of foodstuffs and clothing, and
other statistical data, as we'll as n general
survey of the situation in Belgium. 1t is
pointed out that the organization as l.
stands now is the result Of constant up
| building n feature of which has been the
organization of local relief committees In
practically every commune with a federal
! system of district and provincial commit
tees with the Comite National at the apex
! The relation of this structure to the com
mission Is one of Joint endeavor and the
membership of Americans entirely inter-
| locks the organization.