Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-18

for just that class of supplies else
where.
1t was quickly recognized by tn,
director general of the clearing house
Mr.. H. o. Beatty, and his colleague.
that something must be done to TURF
more intelligent channels. Bushes.
acumen solved this problem as readily
as it had those incident upon the ques.
tions of customs clearance and trans
portation.
Clearly it was necessary to keeI
America stocked with rapidly. com
municated data on current needs In
Europe. Accordingly the function OF
bureau was adopted by the clearing
house. The object in view then came
to be to make the relief contributed
effective to the fullest extent possible
by preventing confusion and overlap
ping or duplication, minimizing delays
and keeping accurate information as to
those in need of assistance in the hands
of the various American relief societies.
To insure the realization of this OBJ
ject a Complementary organization in
New York was formed, under the name
of the war Relief Clearing House for
France and Her Allies" This new or
ganiZation was endowed with the same
functions and purposes as those of the
clearing house in Paris. Through its
agency appeals were thenceforward
made to societies in the United States,
based on the intelligent current data
constantly furnished it by it's sister or
to the skillful cooperation of these two
relief clearing houses, there was no
longer any excuse for the continuance
of ignorant war charity.
Despite the initial handicaps under
which the clearing house commenced
it's life and the successive difficulties
with which 1t has since had to cope as
its activities have widened and its re-
sponsibilities increased, it has accom-
plished a notable work. During the few
short months Of its existence it has en-
gineered the distribution of no less
than 5000 tons of war relief munitions,
which. passing through the hands of
French societies and hospitals, have
brought relief. and sometimes even
happiness. to myriads of despairing
war victims in the stricken countries Of
the allies.
And the work continues today with
out a hitch on an ever-increasing scale
as more and more societies in America
learn to put their trust in the clearing
house, and more and more misery, ere
ated by the increasing deadlineSs of
the war, is sent to it's doors for succor.
At the moment of writing distribution
of relief munitions donated 'in kind"
than 500 tons a month.
But this is by no means all. These are
the approximate figures which concern
the handling OF American gifts of
actual supplies. To them must be added
the figures which show what the clear
ing house has done with the consider
able sums of money given into it's care.
Close upon $4,000 worth of food. cloth
ing and hospital supplies have been
bought since January by the purchas-
ing committees of the organization in
Paris and New York.
This expenditure implies weeks of
careful scouting. questioning and in
vestigation on the part of the commit
tee. Every cent has been spent in the
most effective way which an exhaustive
study not only of European needs but
also of American purchasing facilities
would permit. For every cent of outlay
strict account has been kept and rem
dered. Fifty thousand dollars was never
more scientifically disbursed. Neither
has q like sum ever been made to ac-
complish greater good.