The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-02-01

may wrangle over the causes and is
sues Of the conflict the meaning o
its political developments and the sig
nificance Of its military movements
the importance of it's events and tn
probable duration of its horrors. Eyel
concerning such clear cut incidents al
the violation of Belgium and the sink.
ing Of the Lusitania there have beer
found advocates for the indefensible
And as to the position and duty o.
the United States. the controversy
has been hopeless and interminable.
But there has been, we say, one
matter Of undisturbed and comfort
able agreement it has been the uni
versal belief that America has beer
the savior of the Belgian people
that by generosity unparalleled for Its
magnitude this country ALMOST unaid-
ed has kept the breath of life in the
stricken nation, and has earned the
applause of history for an unique
demonstration of whole hearted, self
denying humanity.
II seems a pity to dispel so agree
able an idea, but it is lamentably in
accurate. The one achievement in
the war upon which the people OF the
United States have prided themselves
has been grossly exaggerated. Amer
ica's gifts to Belgium, although huge
when compared to ordinary charitable
undertakings have been paltry when
measured by the need and niggardly
when contrasted with what other ma
tons have done.
These assertions may shock some
readers We hope they will The
facts have shocked us, and we ac-
knowledge our share of the blame in
having allowed this great cause to
anguish But the immediate need is
to face the truth, And how gro-
tesque must seem our contentment
over having saved Belgium" when
we realize that the total American
contributions in two and a half years
have been hardly more than Great
Britain and France give every month;
that while our war profits are mount
ing by hundreds of millions, our proud
fleet of American food ships" has
dWindled away; that even now mil
lions Of Belgian men and women and
children are pinched with hunger, and
that unless Americans come to the
rescue thousands of them will die for
want of bread
There was never a finer episode in
American history than the great out
pouring of charity which followed the
first appeal for the martyred nation.
But in time the first fine fervor of
the movement faded The total of the
gifts, running into millions, was so
large that Americans did not realize
how much yaster was the need. We
split into disputing groups over the
issues of the war, and became fever
ish over our own problems and forgot
the wards of our pledge. The mighty
stream of beneyolence shrank month
by month, until 1t became a trickle.
During the war the American peo-
pie have given for Belgium about $1O,-
100000 in money in food and in
clothing. This fact is undeniably i'm
pressive. But Great Britain, with
war expenditure of $4,000, 900 day.
has given $5,O00.000 a month; and
France, robbed of her richest terri
tories with a Vast population of her
own impoverished and with the crush
Ing burden of a war to carry has con-
Lributed $2,5O0,000 a month. And most /
pf the food represented by these ad- |
lances has been purchased in the I
United States, netting us a comfort
,ble profit.
While American interest has stead
~ diminished, the need has grown
yreater In Belgium and northern
GRANGE, regions Under the care of the
commission, there are 100000 per-
ons and merely to keep them from Z
tarVation requires more than $10,-
10000 a month. If all our gifts had ;
zen food We would have saved" the
Belgians and French for c
bout 80 days out of $50 II
For every dollar that America has
iven, Great Britain and France have .
iven 20; and in so far as those ma
ons' fight on behalf of Belgium, for ., .,
very 81 we have given, Frenchman
nd a Briton have given their lives :
If Belgium were suffering merely h,
ON a great catastrophe. we could 10
IT have done less; but when one re- 20
embers the cause which she repre- pa
nts. how paltry seem our efforts. It a.
as when the second Philadelphia ~
cd ship was being loaded, more than in
% years ago, that We urged the claim ~
Belgium in terms that are as sober q,
true today;
Shall such a people hunger for alb
cad? Shall those who have laid DO
Fir very national life upon the altar tel
sacrifice be left to perish? Their tel
ferinss must appeal to every ma try
n; but Of all the peoples of the by
'th, Americans should be the most ito
1erous and eager in response. For be,
lghm has inundated herself for del
gle principle-the sacredness of a the
ions pledged word. the sanctity of ma
atty obligations. And that princi- for