New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-30

road would be occupied by sentry
that the normal feeling OF security
which every man has-that he mas az
least an appeal to Justice -wouid De
conc submerged in the fact that you
would be subject only TO an army
Imagine all that and you have an IN.
adequate picture. because II is almos'
impossible 20 convey to you the psy
chology of a people in such distress
Torture for the People
"Tbe feeling that the food supply OF
the eommunity-of the Individual
NAV cease at any moment; that women
and children are in jeopardy ana tnat
disturbance by the population onIy
means blood in the streets; that theTe
is no possible salvation or solution all
this shakes a population that sni'erS
With rumors and results IN torture I'M
possiblc TO describe. N,
"That has been the situation OF per
pium and Northern France, with w.
GOO 600 of people, for over two yesrs'
There has been one bright spot, the
Commission for Relief. which has been
their salvation in the matter OF 1000
supply and their protection III 'ne'i
despair. -. :. ;s
"Now YOU will say at once that u 10
the duty OF the occupying army 10 pIo-
vision the civilian population. com
nit M indiscretion when ! repeat 10
Won tho official statements By the Ger
mans on the one side and the brltIsn
on the other. The Germans state tnat
the shortage Of food IN Belgium Is que
TO n blockade; that the ports are open
except for the Allied nayles; that tne
blockade is illegal and inhumane; tns'
as n result OF it they have not sum,
Gent food supply Of their own una.
they invite relief and that they WIN
support it in governmental measures
and that. in the name of humanity re-
lief should be given.
The British Contention
"The British government says, on
the other hand, that the prime respoh'
sibilitv and the prime wrong was the
occupation of Belgium; that, there
fore. the responsibility rests on the oc;
cupving army md that in tradition ana
international law it is the obligation oil
an occupving army TO provision the
goes further than that and contends
civilian population. The Engllsnmsn
that the situation is this: AS the BRIT
isb are fighting for the independence
Of Belgium, that Belgium comprises
not only her territory but her people
and that il is useless TO reestablish the
independence of Belgium if she is to
he found an empty husk, and that
therefore they will not only support
the relief morally, but financially.
"Now it is not for me to say wnat
is right or what is wrong in these va
rious contentious. II is not the right
Of anv American to refuse 10 intervene
Ia save 100000 people from being
ground between these millstones.
"The Belgian people themselves sent
tho first plea to the Americans FOR
helm. and. through the United States
ambassadors in London, Brussels and
Berlin. we opened gate through tins
wall of steel. and we have tired TO
defend and have defended it since.
"Initially We applied 10 the world for
charity and we had a generous return.
When we started out 100000 TO
81 OOO 600 a month seemed TO be com
passablo by the charity of the world.
Within two or three months II was
understood that this was not war OF
DAYS. but a war of months and perhaps
wears, and that there was no solution
to its distress except by governmental
assistance and a wider and broader
charity than ever was known.
Built Up Governmental Aid
eve built up governmental assist
ance first through the Belgian govern
ment. from their slender resources. and
then through the Allied governments.
We took under our wing, IN addition
10 the Belgian civilian population, that