Omaha daily bee., 1917-02-04
OMAHA AND WAR
RELIEF WORK DONE
Mary Learned Rebukes the
New York Times for It's
Flippancy.
WHAT THE WEST IS DOING

WHAT THE WEST IS DOING
The middle west is a patient section
of the country, and it takes quite a
while to arouse it to ire, but slowly
we are kindling at this constant
sneering, and criticism from the east.
We are found fault with for our lack
of culture; for our breezy informal
manners and has hospitality, and now
it is becoming the fashion to taunt us
for our lack of interest in the war,
and the sufferings of the soldiers, the
mothers and sweethearts and little
children. The editorial in the New
York Times of Friday, January q,
seemed to me bitter and mcalled for
in the extreme. 1t is headed me
braska Game Hunters and under the
guise of making fun Of our Audubon
society for trying to restrict the
slaughter of mourning doves during
the breeding season, it finds oppor-
tunity for the following paragraphs:
The Nebraska feeling OF passivity Of
superneutrallty as to the war has been set
forth with mixture of philosophical
analysis and righteous selfapproval by
divers Omaha and other Nebraska journals.
The eastern student of Nebraska psychology,
however, gets the milk of truth from the
notice In the World Herald of the legal
limits of mighty hunting in that paradise
Of ataraxy and automobiles
=
ure of killing mourning doves were inter-
fered with in Nebraska, her sons might not
be diverted from their dispassionate, vague
consciousness that the war Is but battle
of kites and crows" unworthy of their
attention? Who knows but that the World
Herald. its sympathes no longer engrossed
by the mourning dove. might take an al
most compassionate interest in Mourning
Belgium?
Truly ugly comment | call this!
| was interested in the face of it to
inquire just what our War Relief So
ciety in Omaha has done. Though
the city as a whole has not been
reused to action, band of about a
hundred women have done most
faithful and efficient work through
the two years and half since the war
began. Madame August Mothe-
Borghum, whom all Omahans love,
has been, | would say, the guiding
spirit. She has some twenty relatives
in the war, and it came at once very
close to her heart. In her French
conversation class the circle of women
was formed which has gradually in
creased until now room is main
tanned in a downtown building where
the women work in little groups
mornings and after Moons all through
the week. Any woman who wishes
to Join the War Relief society will be
cordially welcomed. New helpers are
very earnestly desired. (Now called
the War Relief society. =,
The Franco-Belgian society founded
at the beginning of the war made
regular shipments to Belgium OF
warm, new wooden clothing for
women and children, also baby
layettes. Many thousands. of garments
were sent in 1915 and 1916, as well as
four carloads of -four and other provi-
sions, that mounted up into the thou
sands. A little group of anti-suffrage
women members of the main society
raised and sent to the Red Cross the
sum of $4,000, and one generous
Omaha citizen sent the Red Cross In
Servia $4,000.
In 1916 the War Relief society was
greatly enlarged, and the room now
maintained in the Baird building is
in the nature of veritable factory. In
the last two months, $4,000 bandages,
congresses, pillows, and other hospi-
tai articles have been shipped to the
National Surgical Dressings commit
tee in New York for the allies The
society has received high praise for
its very exact and efficient work.
Lieutenant Peckhoff, speaking in
behalf of the American Ambulance,
was entertained by the Omaha and
University clubs and also by the War
Relief society, with the result that
four 5000 beds were given tor the
American Ambulance in Paris.
Mr.. and Mrs. Fuller netted $500
from their drawing room talks
Sixty-hve little French orphans
have been adopted by Omaha people,
for a span of two years, and within
the last week $1,000 has been given
for those poor, hungry little children
in Belgium.
This is what we actually know in
cold print has been done. Doubtless
much has been given that we are not
even aware of. When see long
article on the editorial page of such
a paper as the New York Times, sim
ply grilling us as heartless, and abso-
iutely careless Of the awful suffering
that is going on in Europe, feel as
if I'd like to have those Times giants
know the little part we have played
in the great story Of relief. There is
certainly a, band of devoted enthusi-
asts in Omaha. We are doing the
best we can. That is all any body |
can do. It's drop in the bucket, all
Of it but every drop counts.
If The Bee sees fit TO publish this
article, | intend to cut it out, and send |
a copy to my good friend Mr.. Fred |
Il