The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-09-13
RED CROSS STARTS
NEW DEPARTMENT FOR
BELGIAN RELIEF
VIII Help Refugees Until Peace Is
Restored
PLAN TO REBUILD TOWNS.
When Germans Are Forced Back.
Picked Men VIII he Aided to Start
Work OF Reha bilitattng Ranagcd
Communities.

Washington, Sept. 12-The forma-
tion of II special department under the
American Red Cross commission TO
France to direct all Red Cross activi-
ties in Belgium, is announced in a
cable from Major Grayson M =.
Murphy, head of the commission, to
IL. p Dawson, chairman of the Red
Cross war council
DR. Ernest p. Bickneli, formerly
director general of civilian relief of
the American Red Cross. and now dep
uty commissioner to Europe. is to he
placed in charge of the work in Bel
GUM. Assisting him will be the Rev
erend John Van Schaick, pastor of the
Church of Our Father in Washington,
d. G.. and also a member of the com
mission
The decision Of the commission to
separate Belgian relief work from that
in France was made, after several
audiences OF Major Murphy with the
king and queen of Belgium. Head -
quarters for the new department VIII
be at Havre, now serving as the seat
OF the Belgian government. Cordial
approval Of the plan has been voiced
by Brand Whitlock, United States
minister 10 Belgium. in a letter to
Major Murphy
Il congratulate you and the Red
Cross upon tf1fsA very wise decision
wrote Minister Whitiock. II know
that it Is particularly pleasing to the
Relgian government as another proof
of the interest that America feels to-
ward the Belgian cause
1T win be a great pleasure to me
TO have MIR. Ricknell and Mr. Van
Schaick, both OF whom I know we'll,
here at the seat OF the Belgian govern
ment. and you may be assured that |
will do all In my power to help them
in their work and TO make their resi-
dence as pleasant as possible"
At Havre. DR., Bicknell and DIR, Van
Schaick will keep closely In touch with
the many relief interests Of King AL
bert and Queen Elizabeth, as we'll as
with private agencies. They will -ad
minister the aid which the Red Cross
will give to establish enterprises and
will prepare the way for future opera
tons IN the devastated regions of
Belgium.
Major Murphy has already made a
journey OF inspection behind the Bel
gian lines and planned a general pro
gram of relief which, for the present
is TO include financial assistance to
Belgian hospitals and etheF-Fei4ef
works special care OF between Ave and
six thousand Belgian children in CO
operation with the Rockefeller found
alton. and aid to the inha OF
homes as the Germans retire
The work for children" Maj or
Murphy cables. lis not only one OF the
finest works the Red Cross could UNI
dertake. but alao one of the most
effective in aiding the future of Bel
GUM
Reconstruction in Belgian towns
viii be done In cooperation with the
Belgian government. When village
is recovered, the hurEamastar and his
assistants and a picked group OF re-
fugees are allowed to begin work of
the rehabilitation. The Red Cross will
furnish them with the tools. furniture
seeds, farm animals and supplies
needed to help refugees get on their
feet. AS fast as the. WORK PROGRESSES
the government will return other re-
fugees to Iaeir homes. The Red Cross
will thus he furnishing In each town
recovered the necessary shelter and
equipment for a working nucleus about
which the whole community can
gradually he restored.