Evening star., 1916-01-09
ALLIES ARE SKEPTICAL
ABOUT TEUT0NS' ACTION
Entente Powers Investigating to
Find Motive, Other Than Sym
pathy, for Latest Move.
DIFFICULTIES TO BE FACED
Supplies for King Peters Stricken
and Starving Subjects Will Have
to Be Shipped in Roundabout
Way, II at All.
BY RICHARD HARDING DAVIS.

BY RICHARD HARDING DAVIS.
Special Cablesram to The star.
PARIS, January 8.-Your cor
respondent is now permitted to
announce what has been the sub
ject of secret congratulation to
members of the clearing house
and the American Red Cross. 1t
is of interest because it is a most
remarkable tribute to American
efficiency. That an American
business man should prove eff
cient is not surprising, but the
compliment is remarkable on ac-
count of the source from which it
comes. 1t is of interest also be-
cause it probably means that the
lives of hundreds of thousands of
starving Serbians will be saved.
The German government has
invited H. c. Hoover, who for
fourteen months has directed the
relief of the people of Belgium,
to feed and protect the destitute
people of Serbia.
Allies Are Seeking Motive.
This tribute from the Teutons to the
vxyI,r Hae
their victims is probably the most re-
markable. II not the only exhibition Of
consideration and tact shown by Ger
many since the war began. It is re-
markable that the clearing house and
the French and English governments,
who will be expected to finance the re-
lief. are investigating to find some
motive for Germany's offer other than
sympathy for the suffering Serbians
by not too generous friend, they are
asking:
Whats wrong with it,"
The clearing house. acting in con-
junction with the Rockefeller Founda-
tion, the American Red Cross and the
bian refugees. has found the work of
assisting the Serbians in their invaded
country one Of extreme difficulty. This
is due to reasons partly geographical,
partly political.
Method Of Reaching Belgium.
For purposes of relief it has been
possible to reach Belgium from Holland
by the neutral waters of the Scheldt,
and to distribute food by means of her
own system of canals. Supplies from
America taken on board at New York
required no handling. At Antwerp the
cargo could be broached and sent into
the interior by rail and canal boats.
Of more Importance was the fact that
of the two powers that have kept the
Belgians alive-France and England
the boundaries of the one join her on
the west, the other is separated from
her only by ferry. Lacking the as
government. Belgium would have
starved.
Mr.. Hoover, acting as the agent of the
people of America and the French and
English governments. has each month
distributed to the destitute Belgians
ST, ,000, 900. OF this the money sent from
America, even including the $4.000.000
contributed by the Rockefellers-the
in this war the most generous-would
not have kept the Belgians alive for
seven weeks.
This may surprise and hurt the pride
of some Americans who have thought
1t Is only through their charity that
Belgium survives, but it is a fact
known everywhere except in America.
In consequence, 1t was for Belgium
fortunate that on the map she Is in
such close contact with her allies.
Conditions in Serbia.
posite On the north and east she is
Bulsaria-and on the south by Greece,
and for her own preserva-
ton neutral; on the west by the faith
full but tiny and powerless principality
of Montenegro and the equally power
less No Mans Land of Albania.
The help that should have come from
rived. At this moment at Brindisi, but
three hours steaming from Durazzo.
there are $4,000 tons of rice. flour and
America to feed tho starving. Serbians. |
who are lucky to eat the flesh of the
horses, which. also starving. have
fallen in the trail. The Italians say
voying the supplies across the Adrt- |
attic because the Austrian navy won't |
let them. The loss Of troopship from |
Brindisi Thursday by a sunken mine |
shows that their alarm is not unjusti- |
fed.
The American organization, for re-
lief in Europe look ahead. They march |
In advance of the armies. The state |
ments Of ambassadors. the comm uniques |
of generals, do not necessarily impress |
hem. The man they watch is the
neasaut. When he abandons his village. |
bis farm and live stock and with his
family drives away in an OK cart they |
know which side is winning. They |
know because the peasant knows. and
they watch him.
Relief Agents Are Prompt.
Long before you read that an army /
rs in retreat the agents of the relief
are at the base with con-
lensed milk, medicines and blankets,
waiting for the peasant and the
refugee When left for the Balkans I
was asked by an American banker
(Continued on Fifteenth Pagey