Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-12-26
ENGLISH GIVE AID
TO THEIR ENEMIES
Religious Society of Friends
Comforts Innocent Alien
Enemies" in Britain.
SOME SENT TO GERMANY

Correspondence OF The Associated FreSs)
London, Dec. ll.-So far as known
here England is the only one of the
countries at war which supports a
charitable committee for the help OF
enemies in its midst. Yet such is the
emergency committee for the as
sistance of Germans, Austrians and
Hungarians in distress
This society was formed by mem
bers of the Religious Society OF
Friends to aid innocent alien enc
mics in Great Britain rendered des-
titute by the war" and its report for
the last fiscal year shows that nearly
100000 was contributed and dis
bursed Membership is not confined
to the Quakers, for the archbishop of
Canterbury, the head Of the Church
OF England. and the bishops Of Lich-
field and Lincoln, as well as Viscount
Bryce, Lord Haldane. formerly min
lister for war, and several members
of Parliament and ministers of Prot
estant churches are among its sup
porters.
The committee maintains regular
staff of visitors, who pay regular calls
and enter sympathetically into the
many difficulties that continually
arise.
The report shows how the strain
Of the war is telling on many people:
Many of the women visited are suf
fering from depression and other
nerve troubles, owing to the great
strain put on them by the isolation
Of their position and the struggle for
existence. A small special fund has
been opened to enable our visitors to
cheer these poor souls during the
times OF acute crisis or prolonged mo-
notony, so that the mental and spirit
ual strain may be relieved before the
breaking point is reached ~
Want to Go Back.
Still the committee finds many
cases where deportation to Germany
or Austria is sought. "As the weary
months of the war drag on for those
who are unable to take any part in the
active work going on in all directions
and as savings diminish, many families
who asked for and obtained their ex-
emption to stay in England now make
up their minds to return to their own
countries. The questions we are
asked and the advice sought becomes
more and more varied. We continue
to make up parties Of those leaving
England and we are frequently asked
to send children back to their rela-
tons. So far we are glad to say that
all such children have reached their
destination safely, although some-
times obliged to travel almost alone.
A chain of workers in England and
Holland hand them on from one to
another" r.. ......
A considerable part Of the commit
tees activity is devoted to work in
the internment camps. During the
last year the number of informed civ
ilians in England has increased con-
siderably,. and the military. prisoners
are also growing in number. With
regard to the condition of those in
termed, the report says: I'VE find
that in many cases the men are con-
tinually oppressed with anxiety about
their families, whether in England or
Germany, and about their business
and future prospects There is often
deep sense of injustice and of USE
lessness. 1t is only natural that long
months of confinement should lead to
depression and threaten nervous men
tai or moral breakdown in a good
many cases.
I'VE share the feeling OF dread and
horror with which prisoners-espe-
cially the civilians, who suffer most
on both sides, look forward to the
possibility of another winter in camp
and are longing for the success of the
present negotiations between the gov
ernments for ending the whole intern
ment system '.-..