Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-02-11
DUMPING OUR BEMEv0LEMCE

BWR0P0MG OUR BENEW0lEMGE
IN THE past two years the people of the
United States have contributed to the
relief of the war-stricken people Of Bel
GUM $9,OOO,O00. We had thought the ma
ton had been the author of satisfactory
benevolence until we heard from Herbert
G. Hoover chairman of the Belgian relief
commission in this country, who has head
quarters on Broadway but apparently
spends some time around New York news
paper offces-for he is the recipient of
much publicity. His latest enterprise in
that connection is in the nature of severe
castigation of America on the surprising
charge of stinginess!
Mr.. Hoover goes into the Belgium relief
subject rough shod There isn't a trace of
the sentimental. He puts it up in a hard
listed business way with terrific punch
behind it, II have no patience with those
who appeal only to the emotions, he says.
Then he digresses with bit of human phi
]osophy:
The who is swayed by his emotions is usual
ly a small intellect and the of small
intellect is always of small pocketbook
His appeal, therefore, is to the construct
i've classes, ''to men Of brains and wealth.
Logically, then, these are the citizens who
come under the lashings of his Indignation
Mr. Hoover, speaking for the Belgian re-
lief commission, says it asked the American
people for enough money to provide one ex-
ira meal a month for 1,25O,OO0 Belgian chill
dren. He goes on:
In months made this appeal
receipts of the commission have never-with
the exception of January-eqrmlled require
ments anything approaching thereto. Thousands
of contributions have to from devoted
pie all the United States, and the smallest
contributions have been gratefully received but the
that, with the exception a
gifts, American contributions have been the
ris of charity of the poor toward the poor
Everywhere abroad America, which
unframed in this disaster getting
credit for keeping alisht the lamp Of humanity;
what are the facts? 1t is well the American people
should know them.
The chairman proceeds to divulge facts,
and he does it in figures, without word pic
lures OF Belgium Woes-Without Sob In
the two years or more since the relief work
was started $250,OO0OO0 has been spent in
the effort to stave off starvation from TO-
100000 people. OF this sum more than $780,
100000 has been spent in the United States
in the purchase of supplies which has Melted
American business men $3O,0OOO0O. Against
this the United States has donated $4,000
600. or il cents per capita. The people of
Great Britain, aside from large governments
al Donations have given to Belgium 13 cents
per capita, Canada % cents per capita, Au-
stralia $1.25 per capita, New Zealand 81 .9s
per capita and SO on, with Tasmania at the
head of the list at 1868 for every inhabitant.
= 4: II
Mr.. Hoover catalogues this country not
only as tighwad but as a philanthropical
pirate sailing under false colors.
That is not at all fair to the spirit Of
American citizenship, which is f,ndament-
ally broad and ever responsive. We might
have done more for Belgium if the require
ments had been set forth before the masses
from whom have flowed those ..little rills