Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-17
BELGIUM RELIEF SYSTEM
MARVEL OF EFFICIENCY
Treasurer Hcmphili Returns From
Inspection Trip, Which Thor
oughIy Covers Operations
PERMISSION FROM GERMANS
People Live From Day to Day in I'm
dimmcd Expectancy Of Regaining
Observation-Disclosures of Thou
sands Depend ON Outside World.

w AsSt7"ihh'fs
Independencc-Hu Of Thou
sands Depend on Outside World.
LONDON. July l6.-S J. llcmDhtll.
o, New York. treasurer Of the Commits
sion for Relief in Belgium, has re-
turned from a trip OF inspection which
covered thoroughly the operations Of
the commission in Belgium and North
c,n trance, and he expresses himself to
the Associated .',-ss as very proud
Of tie work which ,hc Americans arc
doing in the occupied areas.
In order TO secure permission to
enter Belgium Mr., Hemphill nad 10
:, :. Berlin. where he spcnt scvcr,.
'syS. he said:
II was greatly impressed while in
Ecrlin with tho difference OF opinion
which exists among prominent Ger
mans as 10 tho advisability OF per-
hitting continuation OF the present
system of relieving the Belcians. The
shortage of food supplies in Germany
has given rise TO considerable criticism
OF tho German governments action
in agreeing TO the allies demand that
in belgium should bc handed over to
OF the Bclsans. An influential German
section maintains that at least a
portion or tho native supplies produced
In Belsium arc the rishtful fruits OF
conquest. and that as long as there is
any possibility OF German women and
children and German soldiers being in
ny Ecl uf,
duction should he confiscated. and the
Eelgians loft to the mercy OF her
allies
Another internal criticism levollcd
at the German government is that the
policy Of permitting RELIEF supplies
10 he distributed merely prolones the
passive resistance which Is s,ill prac-
,ically universal among the ZOO, 900
BclSians who arc under German rule.
However despite the serious oppos,-
ton on both these scores. am conf
dent that tho more humane policy au-
thorizcd by the German Chancellor vii!
continue To prevail
on SURFACE IN BRUSSELS
EVERYTHING IS NORMAL
when ! got TO Brussels my first
impression was that everything Was
normal. except the absence Of veh!
c!cs. owing TO the scarcity OF hors es
and the prohibition of motors exccp,
to a few. The people are wcli-Clad, the
shops arc open. and everyone goes
about his daily life much the same rs
in London or New York. AT the mar
keis saw people buying and selling
mostly vcGctabics-and business being
freely transacted In the ordinary way
That was on the surface. When went
TO the relief stations where over 1t
per cent OF the population, who are
wholly destitute. get their SOUP and
other provisions. / saw in the waiting
queues. not only the needy class tina;
one would expect to see. but we'll.
dressed men. women and children. In
Brussels and elsewhere the human
lines that daily wait for the small
ration provided by tho charity Of tho
world arc marked by this same sad
feature. Dcstitu,!on is not only wide
bread lines thousands Of the uppe,
TO such pass,
1t is only after being In Brussels
Tor little time. and after visiting
tharleroi, Malincs. Antwerp. Licgc and
other places that one realizes how mis-.
leading are first Impressions The out.
ward appearance OF normally is sus.
tanned only by the fact that relief "a
the value OF over 100000 pounds ia
so 10 speak, injected into the country
every month. The external calm is an
amazing tribute 10 the efficiency OF IN.
system whereby the relief orraniza.
tion provides and distributes to thi,
whole nation supplies without which
there would he chaos and unth!nkable
suffering
Both IN America and England n good
dca! Of uncasincss somewhat naturally
eNisiS as 10 the relief supplies actually
reaching tho BclEians. | discussed this
point thoroughly with responsible Eel.
eians and with the Americans who arc
supervising the distribution. besides
Keeping my own eyes omen for any in.
dlcation Of confscation by The Ger
mans AS a result. am convinced
mat tho relief supplies sent into Bel.
gum reach. in their entirety. tho Bel.
gian people. Except local incident.
always rcmedicd, / heard of no instance
whatever OF the Germans breaking
their guarantees 10 respect the fooc
which the allied governments allow tc
be brought through the blockade
DESIRE TO GET ALONG
WITHOUT FRICTION
Il was treated with the utmost con.
sidcration by the German officials ant
! was impressed with tho fact tina
there lis n genuine desire on the par
OF the Landsturn officers, who govern
Belgium, to get along with the stu
alton with as little fraction as posi-
BILE
The Rclgians still live from day Il
day in the undimmed expectancy o
regaining their independence. 7 Nigh
almost say they live on hope, because
IL that wonderful spirit were not there
the scanty ration, which Is all the re
lief organization can supply, would be
inadequate to prevent increased d!
sease and mortality. Brave is not TIL
word for them!
Under ordinary circumstances. tn
nnnulation would be nauncrizcl by FREE