The Washington times., 1918-10-13
Allied Relief,
Committee and
the French Heroes
Lafayette
Memorial Fund

4'4S HUI 1d1 1N A11I
ZERO LAND, the great Allied bazaar
r. held at the Grand Central Palace
L l New York, little less than q year
ago, netted $50. 1856 for the relief of the
soldiers and the civilian populations Of the
nations standing with the United States in
the world war. The final statement Of the
auditors-Marwick, Mitchell, Peat q Co.
row finally completed, show this amazing
outcome OF the undertaking.
Every dollar Of this vast sum went actu-
ally to the cause Of relief. The committees
that were allotted the money and the work
that has been done with It are detailed
elsewhere on this page, which also gives
the remarkable story Of how Hero Land
overcams obstacles and achieved what is
probably O world record for good ACCOM-
plished BY q single charitable entertain
ment.
For weeks before the 7T7>1esss1assss 7T>1esss11asss aight,
which was on Saturday, November "a. lead.
,ng men and women of New York, officials
~ the Allied Governments stationed in the
United States, and hundreds OF others had
h-en working and planning for the sue
ass of the enterprise, which was to show
merica's generosity and Americas ardent
vmpathy with all her allies.
But despite these favorable auspices,
despite the fact that the highest officials
of France, Great Britain, Italy, Belgium
and the other Allied nations, were keenly
interested IN the success Of Hero Land:
that the wife Of the President Of the United
States was an honorary patron, and that,
among others who had conferred this dis
tinction. were the French High Commis-
sioner, NJ TardieC; Arthur James BaIfour.
the British Foreign Minister; the French
Minister OF State; and the Ambassadors of
Great Britain, France, Italy, Japan. the
Belgian Minister, the Governor Of New
York State, the Mayor OF New York City,
and many other celebrities, Hero Land was
compelled to surmount unexpected OBJ
stacles that made fits road by no means
a smooth and easy one.
Sordid avaricious and INSCRIPTIONS per-
sons. knowing Of the unselhsh labor, the
unstinted effort and the considerable
money which had been contributed TO
launch Hero Land, sought to take ad-
vantage Of the wide attention the venture
had called forth and managed to secure
the names Of persons Of undoubted probity
and good intention to stand behind what
was known as the Army and Navy Bazaar
and which was held at the Grand Central
Palace almost Immediately preceding
Hero Land. AS has already been told in
the Hearst papers, the Army and Navy
Bazaar proved not only a lamentabIe
fiasco. but 1t landed its professional pro-
motors in the arms Of the Jaw? The men
and women interested in Hero Land were
pOwerless to prevent the army and Navy
Bazaar from taking place, although the
scandal TO result was clearly foreseen by
them and ample warning Of what might
be expected was given.
The spurious bazaar was held and New
York reeked of the scandal, the tale
OF which spread throughout the country
and put q damper upon legitimate and
honest war relief efforts which il has taken
months TO overcome. Nearly $4,000 were
the receipts which passed through the
hands OF the promoters of this dishonest
enterprise; about 800 was all that found
its way to charity.
In the face Of this thunderbolt, descend
ing from q clear sky, just before Hero
Land opened fits doors, that Allied war
effort was enabled to net more than $780,
900 for actual relief work, after paying all
uf its expenses, as shown in the final state
ment of the auditors Of Hero Land, Mar
ick. Mitchell, Peat & Co, only now com
''eted Such an achievement forms an
almost unprecedented testimonial of pub
lie confidence to those responsible for the
Undertaking anu TGSOuTCeIulneHS,
efficiency and energy which they them
selves displayed
1t was the personal element which
enabled Hero Land to overcome its
difficulties. Unlike other undertakings OF
The kind, te men and women Upon its
management committee sreally managed.
They gave TO their personal time and de-
yotion to the cause, and their names form
what might be regarded as almost a roster
of the principal and contrlling elements
in the social and charitable life Of the
city.
The treasurer, who was treasurer in fact
as well as in name, was Charles H. Sabin,
president Of the Guaranty Trust Company
of New York, whose clerks and account
ants themselves handled the flood of cash
that poured in a steady stream through the
box offices and over the counters of the
various booth and exhibits, from Hero
2