The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-03-08
And Rain For Daily RAJ
ton Of Soup.
100000 PEOPLE DESTITUTE
Would Be Wholesale Starvation
Ii Importation OF Food
Was Stopped.
WAIT HOURS FOR MEAGER MEAL

London, March 3.-Frederick c
Wolcott, who spent three weeks II
Belgium and Northern France inves
tigating for the Rockefeller Founda
ton the work of the Relief Commits
sion of which Herbert c. Hoover |!
the head, makes the following con
illusions:
/ "There would be wholesale star
walton within three or four weeks II
the importation of food into Bel
GUM were stopped.
"In Northern France the percent
age of INDECENT people is even great.
err than that in Belgium, because
there are virtually no native sup
plies.
1.-THE clothing situation in Bel
GUM and Northern France demands
very serious consideration. Unless
the work of providing clothing is
kept up at a regular rate there will
be very serious suffering"
Mr.. Wolcott, in his report, says
he was greatly impressed by the eff
cheney of the relief work and he rec
ommends that money intended for
Belgium or France be intrusted to
the commission. Mr.. Wolcott said
to the Associated Press:
'If any who cavil at the sending
of relief supplies into Belgium could
only visit Belgium and see personal
ly the plight of the suffering people
they would come back as eager for
the continuance of the work as |
am"
OF the 100000 inhabitants in
Belgium, Mr.. Wolcott said 100000
are virtually destitute and drawing
daily one meal consisting of the
equivalent of three thick slices of
bread and a pint of soup. He added:
"Depots for the distribution are
only large enough to accommodate
between thirty and fifty people, SO a
long line of hungry people extends
into the street for a block or more.
Most of those who wait are so poor
that they have no protection in the
shape of an umbrella or a thick coat
against the discomfort of stormy
days.
81 have seen thousands of people
lined up in snow or rain, soaked and
chilly, waiting for bread and soup. |
have returned to the distributing
stations at the end of the day and
have found men. women and child
rem sometimes still standing in line,
but later compelled to go back to
their pitiful homestead, wet, mis-
cradle. 1t was not until eighteen
weary hours afterward that they got
the meal they missed.
There is another stratum of sor
ciety just above the poorer working
people which is only partly desti-
ute, but even these must swallow
heir pride and stand in line every |
lay for the supplementary ration.
Most of them are mothers and faith
RS who have children only partly
Picture the mental condition of
PEOPLE without work for more than
year and half, daily face to face
With the possibility of Starvation,
ut off from communication with the
outside world, by barbed wire and
rmed cordons of a conquering for
ign army.
In every Belgian city fortnightly
ulletin boards are placarded with q
right pink paper German afiche Oh
'hich the Belgians can read the
ames of their fellow-countrymen
nd women who have been sentenced
D Imprisonment for terms varying
rom a year to lifetime for offenses
gainst the German rule"
Mr.. WOlcott said the percentage
INDECENT was greater in Northern
rance than in Belgium. because of
he lack of native supplies. The most
estitute in France and Belgium, he
lid. were reduced to one suit of .
othes. The commission. in accord
nee with its policy. is anticipating
he wants of the population and pur-
oses buying cloth by the bolt and ,
aving 1t made up by the natives for
ear. The children of Northern ,
rance have suffered badly for want
clothing and particularly of shoes. ,
he report concludes:
1.-THE conclusion ! have arrived at ,
Id am going with a perfectly open ,
ind to report to the Rockefeller
oundation. which has no connec-
on with Mr.. Hoover's organization,
that the need is great both for
cd and clothing In Belgium and b
orthern France. There would be I
'olesale starvation within three or 4