The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-12-13
POPE Plus MAKES
An APPEAL FOR
Belgian Children-Urges
Youths of America
to Contribute.
q:
l1ln a rT1fn n Ananf MINI IN
HIS LETTER IS MADE PUBLIC
Apostolic See of Rome Starts
- Fund With Contribution
of $1,000.
PITIABbE SITUATION IN BELGIUM

10000 lire, about $4,000 from the
apostolic see of Rome, around which
the children of America are urged
to build a large fund for further re-
lief for the children of Belgium, is
announced in an autograph letter
from Pope Benedict to Cardinal Glib
bons, made public here today. The
pope has been moved to his appeal
to American children by a recent re-
port from Herbert c. Hoover, chair
man of the commission for relief in
Belgium, describing "the pitiable
situation of numerous Belgian child
rem who, during two sad years, have
been suffering from the lack of that
proper nourishment necessary to
sustain the tender existence of bud
ding childhood" The letter, con-
GLIDING with the pontificial benedic-
ton on the church in America.
The POpe's Letter.
To His Eminence, James Cardinal
Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore.
My Lord Cardinals: Profound
compassion of father has again
moved our heart, when we read an
important letter recently sent to us
by the distinguished chairman of the
praiseworthy Commission for Re-
lief in Belgium" describing in few
words. yet showing proof of most
terrible reality, the pitiable situa-
ton of numerous Belgian children
who, during two sad years, have
been suffering from the lack of that
proper nourishment necessary to
sustain the tender existence of bud
ding childhood.
In most moving terms the chair
man has described how so many des-
olate families, after having given ev-
erything humanity possible to give,
now find themselves with nothing
left with which to appease the hun
ger of their little ones.
He has made us see, almost as Ii
eyes, dimmed with tears, the long
file, continuously increasing of Bel
gian infants waiting for their daily
distribution of bread; unhappy little
ones whose bodies, emaciated by
lack of proper nutrition, bear not
infrequently the impress of some
deadly sickness brought about by
their failure to receive the food
which children of their age require.
2fn his letter the chairman has
told US how, in order to ward of so
much illness, his commission, dis
playing the very best of good will
aha stopping at no sacrifice. has ar
ranged for the distribution to the
children of daily supplementary
meal. He sorrowfully adds, how
ever, that unhappily owing to insult
ficient means, the commission has
found itself unable to prepare and
supply such extra food to all the
babies who have need of it.
In this emergency the worthy
chairman has turned his thought
and his heart to the millions of chill
dren of your happy, noble America,
who, in the abundance with which
they are now surrounded, could
they be given an exact idea OF the
pitiable and unfortunate condition
of their little fellow-creatures in
Belgium-more especially If an ap-
pealing and encouraging word might
reach them from us-would not hes
itate a moment to cooperate heart
lily, in accordane with some pre-ar-
ranged plan, to come promptly to
the relief of these needy Belgian
babies.
Work For Humanity.
In view of this condition OF al
fairs, We have considered the work
indicated so humanitarian and so
holy that, in prompt compliance
with the appeal addressed to us by
those who are directing the work OF
the commission, We have decided to