The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-03-14
HOOVER STATES
 BELGIAN RELIEF
 SHOULD CONTINUE
Head of Commission Holds That America Cannot Give Up Work Even
 if War Comes

New York, March 13.-No war int which America may be plunged can ab solve her from the duty of continuing to give relief to the starving and des titute people of BeigIun, Herbert c Hoover, head of the commission for re lief in Belgium, said today before hii departure for Europe to take up witt renewed determination the task In whicf he has been engaged for many months Mir. Hoover sailed on neutral ship fol a Spanish port and will go to Paris London, Rotterdam and, if conditions per. init, will enter Belgium to confer witt the American members of the commits sion there.
 Meanwhile the campaign to raise re- lief funds will be continued in America
 If there is no war between the Uni ted States and Germany, this money vii be distributed in Belgium by the Amer. jeans, and in northern France by Hol flanders if Mir Hoover is able to make satisfactory arrangements with the Dutcf government. If war comes, arrangements have been completed, it was announced for Dutch and Spanish agents in Belgium to take over the work of the Americans
 FOUNDED BY AMERICANS
 This commission was founded by the intervention of the American government and carried on by her citizens," MT Hoover said before he sailed
 Today it.~is the largest venture 1T history of international benevolent, eco. homie service and of charity. It stands to the world as an American institd. ton and has so far brought lustre te the American people It's continued sue cess should be a matter of first Ameri- can pride. But this credit to the Uni ted States carries responsibility and a national duty.
 NO DISSOLUTION
 NO wan or other difficulty into which America may be plunged can abselve her from this duty and least of all from following the example of France and Great Britain. The temptation to cease giving should not be yielded to eacf time a ship is lost or the rumors of wal become alarming. cannot believe that our people will succumb to such i'm pulses.
 T leave for Europe knowing that the work of the commission S an admin istrative body has succeeded so far; know that if we are obliged to take oul men out of Belgium, the Dutch and the Spaniards who succeed us inside the Ger man lines will work ably and effectively to carry on the organization we have built up. The rest of the problem is Americas problem; failure will be the failure Of America
 MT. Hoover pointed to the Belgian char. ity administered by Great Britain and France although at war, declaring il will be one of the marvels of history for they have handed to the commission more than 90 per cent of all the money spent by the commission for the feed ing of Belgium.
 2,50O,0 900 DESTITUTE
 Of the commissions 10, ,Oo0,OO wards, MT Hoover said, 2,5o0,000 are totally desti tute-"dependents upon the conscience. and good will of the world.''
 Of 2200O0 Belgian refugees in England Mir Hoover declared, all except 15 000 mostly women and children, are em- ployed and they are contributing from their earnings in British industries $3O0, 900 monthly T want particularly to em- phasize this point" he said, because the Belgians have a right to impress upon the world that they are not hanging back without struggle and permitting thenl- selves or their friends to become depend ents.''
 Mr. Hoover spoke of the situation as affecting the Belgian children, declar- ing the commission is caring for 100,- 900 who are facilitated. These, he said, are under special feeding and another 1, ,250, 600 children require an extra meal a day Ito avert great tragedy and to save these children $l25o,0o0 monthly Is needed. Europe is looking to us," he said. "Our measure is being taken