The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-01-22
MOVEMENT IS STARTED
TO SUPPORT BELG.AAS
superintendent T.. VI. Martin. .or~Pc-
tcrsburg Schools. Proposes Plan
TO Feed Children.
MANY LIQUOR LAW VIOLATIONS
{. u. Pattcr. Joseph Peace and Jack
Kennedy Arrested on Charges of
Having Uhiskcy i'll Possession
Samuel +. Chimney Dead.

| Petersburg. Va. Jan. 2l.-Super
ihtendent f. NJ. Martin, of the Peters
burg public schools, touched by the
CONDITION of the thousands of Bel
sian children, who are slowly starv-
ing for the lack of less than goes to
practical waste from American homes
daliy, has inaugurated a movement
winch, If carried through, will enlist
the 2o.oOO,0o0 public school children
OF America in a united effort to sup
port the L25o, geo starving Belgian
children.
Following out his idea, Mir. Martin.
some days ago. wrote the Literary
Digest proposing the plan. He has
received lengthy telegram in reply
10 ms letter. which reads as follows:
have been much pcrturhed by
reading many recent accounts of the
desutution and suffering among the
children Of Belgium 1t has occurred
TO me that 1t would be an idea worthy
OF American children It they should
undertake to feed ana clothe the chill
dfen OF Belgium. We have something
IKE 20,000.000 school children in
America ready and eager to respond
TO the call of their suffering fellows
across the waters. | believe that it Is
a perfectly feasible and altogether
laudahie plan to have American chill
dren embrace this opportunity of re-
heNing distress and az the same time
growing stronger themselves. Tor
the gift without the eiver is bare. who
bestows himself with his aims feeds
three. himself, his huugering neigh
Dor and me-
What | want TO know is the names
and addresses of +hosc who have the
matter of Belgium relief in charge.
1t would be a great thing also If the
Literary Digest would undertake tn
promote this scheme We have here
in Petersburg something like 5000
school children. / have presented the
matter to many of them. and with
, one accord they are ready 10 enter
into this undertaking Not for day,
nor for a month. hut for the whole
duration of the war All that we
need is little intelligent direction and
a little of the enthusiasm which comes
from the knowledge we are working
In conjunction with the rest of the
twenty million"
Telegram In Reply
Mr. Martin received the following
telegram in reply to his letter yes
terday:
F. NJ. Martin. Superintendent Of Pub
lie Schools, Petersburg Va:
Your letter does honor TO Your head
and heart. There is town called
| Zerkeghem. In Belgium. with three
hundred children on the SUPPLEMENT-
airy ration line. To care for these
children during this year will cost
thirty-six hundred dollars. If you
could pledge this amount, payable
/ three hundred monthly on behalf Of
the children and citizens OF Peters
| burg, IL would very materially aid in
the campaign we are starting to carry
out substantially the plan you have
in mind. Take this up with your as
sociates Also call in the aid OF lead
ing citizens and clergymen. Let Pc
tersburg lead the way and have the
honor of being first No humanitarian
work has ever had greater call than
| this Write or wire us as quickly as
possible. Let the newspapers help
you See this weeks Literary Digest
Enlist Efforts of Children.
Mr. Martins letter to the Literary
Digest was written on the 18th. three
days before last weeks issue Of that
weekly was published. It is singu-
lar coincident that Mr. Martin was
moved to suggest relief for the Bel
gian children along pretty much tho
same line tust as the Literary Digest
was preparing to inaugurate a cam
paign.
Mr.. Martins plan for caring for the
Belgian children Is to enlist the in
terest and efforts of the 90. 600 o00
American school children in a plan for
permanently supporting the Belgian
children until the end of the war.
The movement here has met with
almost spontaneous approval but
there exists a rule here. according to
Mr.. Martin, which prohibits collec-
lions in the public schools and which
excludes all organizations except the
Y. NJ c. A, the w. c. II. T.. and the
Kings Daughters, but little doubt Is
expressed from any source that the
School Board will refuse to permit
the movement 10 take definite form.
Mr.. Martin does not propose to have
the children pledge any definite
amount monthly. but he Is Of the opin-
ion that by placing a box at some con-
venient place In each Of the schools
the children OF Petersburg would hap
PLY aid In the support Of the unfor-