The Press., 1918-03-28
HELP BELGIANS!
 IS APPEAL IN
 CLOTHING DRIVE
Red Cross Asks for Apparel for the Destitute in Occupied
 Territories.

Up in the attic, hung in the closet or laid away on the shelf, are clothes DO one wants, that never will be used and only exist as an invitation to moths. Belgium needs these clothes, and the Commission for Relief of this brave, little country is asking the wO- men of America, through the Ameri- can Red Cross, to clear out their store rooms and send these garments where they are so sorely in demand.
 A minimum quantity of 5000 tons of clothes are needed for the destitute Belgians. With the Commission for Relief In Belgium and Red Cross Chap ters all over the country appealing to the people to contribute apparel to the Belgium Clothing Fund" it is expect ed that more than the minimum quan- tlty will be collected. The campaign Is to continue seven days, ending March 25.
 In a letter to Henry P. DavisOn, chairman of the Red Cross War COun- ell, Herbert Hoover, chairman for the Commission for Relief in Belgium, de scribed the plight of the Belgian peo- pie as follows:
 '"The practical entire exhaustion of clothes, shoes and leather in occupied Belgium and northern France and the shortage of these necessities in the worlds market are making 1t increas- ingly difficult for the Commission for Relief in Belgium to keep clothed and shod the unfortunate people of these occupied territories.
 Shoes and Blankets Needed.
 ,"In addition to new material. we need gifts of used and surplus cloth. ing and shoes, blankets, flannel and cloth in large quantities from the peo' pie of the United States" ;,
 Although the clothing contributed to the relief of Belgians need not be new, 1t Is said, 1t must be strong and durable, for 1t will be subjected to the hardest kind of wear. Nor is it neces- sary for clothing to be in perfect re pair, as there are upward of 100.0A1 women in northern France who can sew and patch garments and make them presentable.
 These women were mobiliZed and
  ganization early in the war. while there was still raw material to be had for the ripping, repairing md remak' Ing of old clothes. They are happiest when at work, having less time to dwell upon,thelr misery, and they have been looking forward with dread to the day when, their garments finished and the material exhausted, they would have to lay down their work and await their turn to receive the next supplies The native stock has long since been used up, and since the first devastA. ton of their country no commercial imports have come in.
 It is for this reason the women O1 the country are asked to put theiI spare garments at the service of the world as a measure of pure economics conservation and patriotism. The Commission for Relief has the ships the women the clothing, and In the vessels carrying cargoes of grain and other foodstuffs there will be room for all the clothing donated for the re lief of the sufferers in Belgium and northern France. The American Red Cross is appealing to the people of the nation to meet this most pressing need All who have clothing which they can spare are asked to communicate with the nearest Red Cross Chapter, which win arrange to collect and forward i tv ports where the material is to be as sembled for shipment overseas.