The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-05-15
>PADEREWSKI HEADS
POLISH RELIEF WORK
Great Pianist Comes to America in the
Hope of Interesting Many Promi-
nent Men in Helping the
Stricken Country.

otIlCktH Sountiy.
New York, May l5.--lgnace Jan Pad
erewski, the pianist, who has come
America to organize the work which
Polish victims of the war, hopes to b
able shortly to announce the personnel o
a national American relief committee
He has been seeking as members promi
nent men and women throughout tn
country who will consolidate the worl
Of the several Polish relief committee
already organized, whose means thus ia
have been sufficient to relieve but lin
tied number of sufferers.
Mr.. Paderewski issued the followin,
appeal:
"The present European war is, on thu
eastern front, raging exclusively owe
Polish soil 1t is sweeping away every
sign of civilization, destroying dwellings
devastating fields, gardens and forests
starving and DISCRIMINATING human be
ings and animals alike. An area equa
in size TO the state of New York anC
Pennsylvania has been laid waste Two
hundred towns, fourteen hundred church
es, seven thousand five hundred villages
have completely been ruined. The loss
es in property destroyed, and in agri.
cultural, industrial and commercial pro-
ductlon brought to an absolute stand
still, amount to $500, 100000.
"A total of eighteen million inha BIZ
tants, including nearly two million Jews
are continuously enduring the horrors
of this gigantic struggle. Very few
only could flee to the places which are
still holding their own against the ag-
gressors; the great majority, almost
eleven million of helpless women and
children. homeless peasants, unemployed
workmen, the very essence and strength
of a naNon, have been driven out into
the open. Thousands and thousands are
hiding among ruins, In woods or in hol-
lows; feeding on roots and on the bark
of trees.
"To provide an immediate aid to this
almost incredible number of sufferers, to
concentrate the efforts of all who NAV
be touched by so appalling distress
a general Polish relief commission has
been formed on neutral soil, in Lau-
same, Switzerland. The president of
that commission is the greatest of Po-
lands living sons, Henryk Sienkiewicz,
the writer; its members are all men of
high standing, universally respected, rep
resenting the three parts of ancient Po-
land, all united by one desire to lessen
the sufferings Of our oountrymen with
out distinction Of race, religion, or pc.
liticsl opinion.
Unfortunately, though we'll organized,
having its agencies in every part of the
country, our committee could accomplish
comparatively little towards the succor-
ing Of a whole nation. The funds put
into our hands were extremely modest.
Poland has nothing more to give, for she
is ruined, and the interest and SYM
patty Of other countries are totally abb
sorbed by other worthy causes.
"A few Polish relief committees have
been organized In this country, but, how
ever noble are the hearts of the or
ganizers, however great the generosity
OF their supporters, the means 20 far
will relieve but very limited
number of sufferers. And there are mil
lions Of families helpless, hungry, sick
surrounding.
In the face Of such a disaster indi-
vidusl efforts must remain inefficient.
Only a great wave of msnkind's pity
ran surmount 20 immense a wave Of hui
man misery.
only great enlightened, generous
nation ran help effectuslly our perishing
Nobody knows better than ] DO the
kindness and generosity Of the Amer
an people. Ardent and prompt. warm
hearted. free handed. they always re
spond with the enthusiasm Of youth 10
.vcrything that is true, sincerr.
@Is there anything more true than
lsiusn PAM
y there anything more sincere than
he cry for help from th0-s who suf-
.err
In the name n Christian charity. m
hs name ~ common humanity. I. there /
ore. arpcsl ~ the great American PEG
H. They have already given much 20 |
ther natiunss they msy D. tired II CIV /
re 81 J an certain fhst there = no /
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