The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-01-31
WILL RESUME WORK TODAY ON THE FUND FOR JEWISH RELIEF
Local Contributions Now Over $50OO, But S10,O0O Is the Goal Set in
 Birmingham

The committee on arrangements for the raising of funds to be used in re- lieving the distress of the war stricken Jews of Russian Poland will meet this morning at 10 o'clock at the office of Robert Jemison, Jr., and work out final details of the campaign. Several canvassing will begin. The fund now has reached total in excess of S500O, and pr. NJ Newfield stated last night other contributions are coming in rap. idly.
 r. Several of those who have subscribed to the fund, have increased the amount or their subscriptions, and the outlook for the securing of the $10,OOO expected from Birmingham is excellent.
 The campaign was launched Thurs day night. last, at a mass meeting at the Majestic theatre, when something like $3500 was contributed. The can wasting teams had but little opportun- ity to do effective work Friday and Saturday and the campaign will get started actively this morning.
 MATTER OF HUMANITY
 It was pointed out at the mass meet ing Thursday that the matter of re- lieving war stricken people, a people without bread, without clothing, with out shelter in a country noted for it's bitter cold, was not a racial proposi- tion, but a matter of plain humanity. Several speakers of ability showed that 5,000,000 people have been driven from their homes into the bitterest winter that northern Russia has known. They have been loaded in box cars like cattle, without food, or even water, and with absolutely no protection from the ele- ments. They have died in hundreds, in thousands, and the soldiers have laughed in glee as their numbers were depleted by the icy hand of death.
 It has been reported in dispatches of the Associated Press that all the Jews in one province of Russia were placed in box cars and shipped to another province. The governor of the province to which they were consigned refused to permit them to detrain, and sent them back to the province from which
  about five days In all this time, they were given neither food nor water They were packed in the cars like sar- dimes, and were compelled to stand Those among them who died, remained in standing position, and the strongest among them came through the ordeal emaciated, and in no condition for fur ther exposure
 Yet they had to face more hardsip They were removed from the train and under guard forced to march to another town, placed in roughly constructed barns at night, and forced to arise 1T the morning and begin their walk. SUFFERING OF JEWS At Thursdays meeting. A. Leo Ober dorfer read to the audience a shor article in phamplet form issued by the American Jewish Relief committee. Il was explanatory of the sufferings ot the Jews in Russia and follows:
 Tt is winter, not a mild winter, a cold one; bitter cold. All day we have been walking. We have no idea where we are going. When a soldier says move a Jew must obey So Chaia Berl and I move. Our furniture we left behind. Chain, our eldest son, is in the army, and we are walking
 We have been walking since 6 o'clock in the morning. Chaia leans on me. lean on my stick and Berl is carried sometimes in my arms, and sometimes in Chaia's.
 "I look at old Reb Srul. Bent and worn like reed in the wind. he, too walks. Occasionally I talk to him. try to console him, soon, soon, it shall end, this constant walking. We will be placed somewhere and allowed to remain. But he only signs, looks up to heaven, and repeats the word peace
 Night comes We have been walk ing for 12 hours. Some have fallen by the road, but we cannot stop, we must walk.
 we are crowded into a dilapidated barn; it's cold. bitter cold in here.
 "Surah, the Predetermined one, has just had an epileptic fit. Reb Srul does not feel we'll He is pale; I go to the door to speak to a soldier. "A doctor door to speak to a soldier. A doctor please I plead. The old man is dying. Good he laughs. Let him die. One less to take care of
 "All night we watch Reb Srul die We repeat prayers with him. Nobody sleeps. In the morning, Reb Srul is al peace. No more walking for him; the women cry, some of us wish we could take his place. We are glad that he has been excused by the Almighty One from walking.
 Some one suggests burial. We are about to ask for the privilege, when the door opens and soldier commands us to get ready to walk. More walking is the pathetic echo that rings through the room. We point to the body. A soldier commands us to walk. A Jew must obey, so we leave the old man ir the hands of his God and we walk