Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-07-30

it's dominant feature set him down
indubitably as strong willed man
of force and action. That feature
was the broad, firm jaw; one noted
il instantly, and remembered the eff
fective gesture of NJ. Francqui in
describing the feature that naturally
would impress him most. Perhaps
the brow and the jaw might indi-
cate the possession of both qualities
without implying any conflict be-
tween them, for one could not talk
with him long without seeing that
there was great idealism there; it
showed in the first words he spoke
concerning the Belgians and their
sufferings. He had them on his heart
already. 1t showed in his eyes,
that were soft and plying when he
spoke of them.
Sinking into a deep chair he spoke
in low, agreeable voice, but was
soon turning TO practical ways of
helping them. l could describe to
him the situation and tell him of all
our troubles inside and from him
learn what had been going on out
side. lie had many troubles of his
own but he seemed to surmount
them all bravely. He had just ar
rived by motor from Holland and
he was accompanied that afternoon
by Mr.. Shaler, DIR. Rose, and Mr..
Bicknell. DR.. Rose and Mr. Bick-
neil represented the Rockefeller
Foundation and came to investigate
conditions in Belgium. They began
crosS-eXamininS me and for two
hours L answered questions, and
When l was through / was tired as
tnouSh L had been making an argu-
ment before the Supreme Court.
me work had grown even before
II could be organized Our origi-
nal conception had been that the
Comite National was perfectly COM
petent to distribute food through
the communes with it's own people.
II 1t could only get the food to de-
liver. In my own boundless ignor-
ance / had no notion of the ouan-
tlty OF food required until / read
the memorandum prepared by he
{. y. The war would soon be over.
anyway, and if we could only get
over the winter all would go we'll.
The American people would provide
the tood, by diplomatic negotiations
we would arrange to have it pass the
BRUSH blockade, and the Comite
National would distribute II. But
there were limits even to American
CHARITY, and now England, who was
managing that blockade. imposed
restrictions and conditions as to su-
pervision; there would have to be
more delegates, scores of them. not
Beigians but Americans, to SUPER
wise the distribution and see that
the guarantees we're observed:
hence the Rhodes scholars, hence.
ultimately, the c. r. B., that vast
American organization that would
work side by side with the vast
Belgian organization, the c. N, each
Independent of the other, moving
with equal dignity in their respec-
tive spheres, like coordinate
branches of the government under
the Constitution.
This organization, as I have told,
had already been functioning. but
there were many defects in the c.
r. Is. and ii was to remedy these
that Mr.. Hoover had crossed the
North Sea and come to Belgium
Only few days before, in the
course of a conversation Vilalobar
and were having with the Geheim-
rath Kaufman, 1 had told him that
already the American organization
had arranged to import 10000
pounds for Belgium relief, and when
he had translated this into German
terms-54. 100000 marks the Ge-
heimrath dropped his lead pencil
on his desk, fell back in his chair
and exclaimed:
"Saprista!"
Saprista. indeed! But that was
only beginning; a mere drop in the
bucket.