Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-09-18
PLANS FOR CONTINUATION OF
BELGIAN RELIEF WORK WILL
REQUIRE MANY MORE MILLIONS

New YORK, Sept. 17.-Believing that
fthe war will continue at least another
fun year. the Commission for Relief
lin Belgium announced today that it
faces the necessity Of asking and soon
will ask the American people to give
a million dollars every month in order
to avert widespread sickness and death
from the lack OF proper food.
To date the United States has con-
tributed an average Of less than half
q million a month, while the Commits
ision's purchases in this country,
through funds provided from other
countries, have lately averaged over
100000 Of dollars a month.
W. l.. Honnold. who has just ar
rived in New York to succeed Captain
j. F. Lucey as Director Of the Com
mission in America. after having filled
similar position in London, says:
IF 1.-The children Of Belgium and
Northern France are to grow to heal
thy maturity, they must be provided
with more food than Is now supplied
to them, and to this end the Commis-
sion for Relief in Belgium will soon
ask the people OF the United States
to give at least one million dollars
monthly toward the cost Of a special
meal which will be served every day
in the schools"
Just before he sailed for America.
Mr.. Honnold inspected conditions in
the occupied areas and he comes here
convinced that the Commission must
increase its activities on behalf of the
children, and particularly. must COM
bat an alarming increase of tubercular
troubles among both children and ad-
ults. Mr.. Honnold added:
II am sure that the plight Of the
children will appeal strongly to the
charitable instincts OF the American
people. and that they will gladly sup
port us in meeting this insistent call
Of humanity.
"Since it is the opinion Of the Com
mission that the war will continue
for at least another year, relief must
be afforded for a corresponding period.
This means that the Commission,
which has now been in operation for
two years. will probably have to de-
liver during the next year about L.
100000 tons Of foodstuffs into Belgium
and Northern France. calling for an
expenditure Of moro than $150. 1000, 900.
A large portion Of the population, say
100000 people, owing to the cessa-
tion Of export and import trade. are
wholly or partially destitute and have
to be provided with food free of charge.
This class will call for fully $50, ,000,-
600 Of charity in the coming year. or
over $5,000,G00 per month. It would
seem, therefore, that the more ade-
quate feeding Of the children now so
urgently calling for additional funds,
offers an opportunity for further gen.
erosity which the American people
cannot but welcome.
'The Commission has lately made
a thorough investigation Of health con-
ditions in Belgium and Northern
France to determine the degree Of sue
cess that has attended it's operations.
DR.. William Palmer Lucas. Of the
Medical Department of tho University
Of California, who undertook this in
vestigation, spent three months in
close association with Belgian physi-
clans and health authorities and ar
rived at some interesting conclusions.
He reports THAT the agricultural class,
which has been able directly or in
directly to secure a sufflciency Of food
stuffs. is. broadly speaking, in a normal
state Of health. The same may be said
Of the well-to- do GLASSES. On the other
hand. the high prices obtaining for ma
tive products have made 1t practically
impossible for laborers and minor
commercial people to secure the neces-
sary supplement to their pro rata Of
the Commissions importations. These
classes. comprising something like
100000 people. generally show dimin-
1shed vitality. although the infants,
owing largely to the natural solicitude
of the women Of Belgium and to the
special measures supported by the re-
lief organization. are really above nor
NAL in general health.
"The improvement in infantile NOR
tality. however, has been more than
Offset by a marked reduction in the
birth rate. considered to be largely due
TO the under er-nourished and anxious
state Of possible mothers, and by an
Increased percentage Of imperfectly
developed newborn babies, the Ill
nourishment Of mothers being also re-
sponsible and being further reflected
In a much curtailed nursing period.
Tn the case Of the older children
belonging to the poorer classes, par
ticularly those in the adolescent stage,
there is an alarming increase in tu-
berculosis. due to the lower power Of
resistance consequent on inadequate
diet. 1t is to correct this serious