Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-03-22
WHAT CAN GRAND
RAPIDS DO +?

stood in line ladling out soup since
the relief work began.
"This meal costs the American peo-
pie 81 per month per child. As there
are 100000 children who must have
this meal, it will be necessary for the
American people to raise S1,250,000 a
month. This sum will be very small
in proportion to the money pledged
by France and England. Belgian refu-
gees in England, working in ammuni-
ton factories, are now giving the COM
mission something like 100000
month out of their wages, besides sup
porting themselves and doing service
to the country that offered them hos
pitality.
"Our hope is that America will at
least rouse herself to the point of
guaranteeing those children the food
without which their future is not
worth looking forward to. The COM
mission has done its work at an over
head cost of less than fve-eighths of
l per cent. 1t has the Endorsement
and assistance of the French and Eng
lish governments, the support of the
American Ambassador, and works I'M
der guarantees from the German Gov
eminent. It's ships are on the sea I'M
der safe conduct from all the belliger-
ents. It's food is not seized anywhere
and where it has lost a ship through
striking mines the insurance has been
paid promptly.
Recognizing the possibility that
some day relations between the Unit
ed States and Germany may become
too strained for Americans to remain
in Belgium, the commission has care
fully trained Dutch, Spanish and other
nationals to take over the management
in Belgium. But the outside world
will still have to find the money for
the food if the end of the war is to
find Belgium anything but an empty
shell. The English and French expect
the highest taxes the world has ever
known. With taxation so far beyond
anything that has been experienced
in modern times, and with every good
size house hospital, and every fam
lily burdened with it's own wounded.
and dependent relatives, and with
women at work in factories and Of
fees, Great Britain has still gone on
| giving money to charities outside her
own people to an amount never ap-
preached by this prosperous, unbur-
dened country of ours.
Zone of our difficulties is that every
time there is talk of war our people
seem to think this valid reason for
! ceasing work for others. We hope
that something may happen to show
them a new light on this subject.
If the commission should fail now,
and should have to ask some small
neutral country to supply the funds,
the disgrace would rest on the Amer
lean people, not on the commission.
The people of the United States must
wake up to this opportunity for sew
vice. Let every one of them remember
that 81 day will feed one Belgian
child for amonth."
Some of the towns, cities and in
dividuals who are remembering this
| NiIC CAlC ild41iOSi VI ISI GLSS are
caring for, are; Riverdale, N. Y, $500;
Huntington, L. l., 1000; New Bedford,
Mass, $50; Mr.. Kisco, N. Y, 10; Bed
ford, n. Y, As; Hamburg, Pa, so; an
organization of women in Buffalo,
N. Y, 100; Lancaster Pa, 400; Plain
field, N. j., POS; University of Indiana,
100; coal miners in Pottstown, Pa,
$50; Massachusetts, Institute of Tech
Mr.. Baker, must become active in
their own localities, and do this work
as matter of duty and obligation if
it is to be done at ALL The commits
sion has reached the limit of its own
single-handed possibilities