Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1916-05-28
100000 JEWS
 IN URGENT WANT,
 AND NEED GROWS
German Hebrew Relief As sociation Extending Aid
 to Thousands.

Berlin, May 9.-(CorTespondenc ol The Associated Prsss)-Of the norm al total of about 2,45O,O0O Jews in Poland, Lithuania and Courland, some 1,770,OOO still remain, and of this number, about 100000 are in urgent and continuous want About 455,OOO of these are in Poland, and 50- 900 of this number are persons who are without homes and in particular ly distressful circumstances.
 The number of the needy is in- creasing from month to month. O2- portunities to earn money are few, and thousands who are still living on their savings will. sooner or later. find these exhausted and become de- pendent on charity.
 These estimates appear in the an nual report of the German Hebrew Relief association, which has taken upon itself the work of relieving it's coreligionists in the occupied districts back of the battle line in Russia and Galicia. The sum of 500000 marks monthly is required to alleviate the distress of the most necessitous of the 100000 sufferers, and even this sum, which is all that the relief as socation can devote to the work for the next few months, can do little more than keep them from actual starvation.
 With this sum 225 cities and vi!- ,ages in the occupied districts a" being assisted. Ninety relief Kitchens are in operation, with twenty-five tea halls and numerous other relief institutions. About 750 tons of cloth ing, bedding and footwear have been sent to the stricken districts. The grand lodge of B'nai B'rith in Ger many has had large share in the re- lief work, and more than half mil lion marks has thus far been received from America. Up to date nearly g. 250,OO0 marks has been paid out by the Hebrew Relief association for Poland and Lithuania. Funds avail able have, not been sufficient to af- ford relief to some 10000 Jews in Courland, where the distress, more. over is not so great as in the other districts.
 Aid All Alike.
 These activities, however, have formed but part of the work of the relief association. Quite as impor- tant and even more arduous has been its work as an intermediary between the residents of the occupied dis tricts and the outside world. dn this department mo denomination,al dis functions were made, Jews and Catho- lies alike being aided. Chief advan- tage was taken of this work by rela- tiyes and friends in America of the Polish sufferers. The relief asso- citation found it's work increasing so rapidly, as the news became known in America that it was possible to communicate with Poland through the association, and it is now com pelled to employ force of about 50 persons to expedite letters and funds About eight million marks has thus far been received from America for direct transmission, and the relief association handles as many as 1OO.- 0OO. O.0O0 letters monthly from and to America. This must all be copied in the associations offices. to make any system of secret communication lm- possible. ,,
 The various relief funds are dis tributed with the ald oI the Hliil."ly authorities. The American emDas- sies and consulates have also done their full share in assisting in carry ing tine work on.
 A slight alleviation of conditions may come from the recently secured permission of emigration from the occupied districts. Many families have already availed themselves or the permission, most of them goins with tickets sent from America.
 The Hebrew association, despite the new demands made on it, has maintained and even increased its work in Palestine. It supports two kindergartens, school TOT girls, a commercial school and other educational institutions at Jerusa!em, It also maintains boys and giris It also maintains a boys and girls school and kindergarten at Jaffa and various institutions in Turkey.