Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-01-04
THE BELGIAN RELIEF
FUND IS GROWING
Effort Being Made In Salem
to Raise FOOdstufs SuC~
Ceeding Nicely

Salem people, rallying generously to
the call for local benevolence, have
demonstrated that they believe in the
old slogan of charity beginning at
home.
Owing to the present Belgian condi-
tions, however, they are being asked
to extend their philanthropy further
and are being reminded that they are
as much the keepers of their brothers
across the sea as they are of those at
home. The local committee in charge
of this effort are G. P. Bishop, G. 8.
Hamilton, H. W. Meyers, A. Hucke-
stein and G. L. McNary, and all contri-
buttons are to be made through them.
The work in behalf of raising ear.
load of foodstuff, principally flour,
which began about the middle of De.
Ieember, was in response to an appeal
made by Theodore B. Wilcox, of Port
land, chairman of the Oregon Develop
ment League committee Of Oregon 3
Belgian relief fund.
About sixty.five have already pledg-
ed their assistance in this effort. sums
Of those who have already made dona-
tions ranging from twenty-five to one
dollar.
To Oregon is given the responsibility
Of supplying half ship load, Wash
ington supplying the other half. The
ship will leave the Portland dock early
in January, probably about the 90. Cal.
ifornia is sending a full ship load.
Oregon must supply her quota, and
Salem must do her part; it is state
matter, Never was there a greater OPP
portunity for our citizens to show their
generosity and their sympathy for a
distressed people, and the only way to
meet the situation is for generous peo
pie to give.
Non.perishable foodstuffs - flour,
rice, canned goods, dried fruits-in
carloads or in parcels, win be trans
ported free of charge by the railroad
companies Perishable foodstuffs can
not be accepted, donations of this kind
to be sold and the money devoted to
non.perishable articles.
No portion Of remittances received
in response to this appeal is used for
expense of gathering supplies, for
transportation charges, overhead ex.
penses, collection expenses, printing, or
any other expense whatsoever. Every
ccut is invested in foodstuffs; one hun
drcd cents of every dollar you give
buys food for starving Belgians.
When one realizes that eighty tons
Of foOdstuffs are needed each month
to supply Belgium's starving people,
at onohalf regular ration, an idea is
gained Of the immensity Of the respon.
sibility that win Of necessity rest
largely upon the American people
should the war continue much longer.
The local committee has issued the
following statement to the citizens Of
Salem:
The committee in charge of the
plans for Belgian relief kindly ask You
to come to the assistance Of the starv.
ing Belgians. Before the war Belgium
was a manufacturing country and pro.
duced only 40 per cent of her food.
stuffs; therefore, with her 1914 crop
nearly devastated it is very easy TO
appreciate the condition of over five
million people. We are trying to raise
q carload Of one hundred barrels of
flour in Salem, and while the old say.
ing that eve must take care Of our
home people" is correct, we would
state not one win starve in Oregon this
winter; they win be taken care of.
These Belgians are not hobocs; the op.
portunities Of self preservation have
been taken from them through no fault
Of themselves. We now have sixty.five
barrels in sight, Who win be the next
to report to some member Of the com.
mittee' The United States must bear
the burden to a great extent.
The following have contributed to
date.