Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1918-10-24


injunctions of organized fear.
100000 refugees are estimated to
be now on the roads from Lille,
Roubaix, and Belgian towns prog
ressing towards the Dutch frontier
endeavoring to escape into Holland
and all are depending upon the Bel
gian Relief Commission for food,
clothing and shelter upon their ar
rival, according to a statement made
today by Il. w. Oglebay, Federal
Food Administrator for West Vir-
GINA.
The re-occupation of Belgian and
Northern France by allied armies
is imposing additional food burdens
upon the people Of the United States
according to statement recently
made by Mr. Hoover The press Of
the country has already informed
the newspaper readers that arrange
ments have been made by the Bell
gian Relief Commission with Che
British Quarter Master General for
twenty million rations to be fur
nished Immediately to the rescued
civilian population in Belgium.
These supplies are to come from the
stores Of the British army in Bel
| GUM, and will be paid for BY the
relief commission
There is only one hope to prevent
disasterous famine in Belgium If
the retiring German army confis-
Gates the internal food supply, and
that is in the shipment of food from
this country to be distributed to-
the suffering Belgians by the Bel
gian Relief Commission The Bel
gian harvest is now at hand, which
together with the interior relief
supplies is sufficient to last the pop
ulation for month, but should the
production of the Belgian fields and
Germans seize in their retreat the
dairy cattle on which the babies
more especially the few remaining
are depending, the situation will be
most appalling
| The Relief Commission has already
shipped 10000 tons of food to Rot
terdam during the last month.
Extra effort is being made to in
crease the shipments, and if the Ger
mans do not modest the ships, the
Commission will be in a position To
pour supplies in to these 100000
people sufficient to tide them over
until the internal transport and gov
eminent are re-established.
In addition to this emergency
need brought, about by the retaking
Of this vast territory, there are dis
tressing food problems to be met
the Balkan States and other sec
throughout dis-organized Russia,
tons Of Europe, and it is estimated
that at least 180,000,000 of people
are doomed to starvation unless
help comes quickly. This is in adj
dition to the 120,000,000 allied
people that our government has
pledged itself to supply with food.
This task is more than a work Of
benevolence-it is the consumation
Of the crusade of Democracy. It
makes for the world community in
which justice is to be so organized
4 that schemes for conquest can never
have place again among nations
that profess civilization.
In the thought that we all sit at
a common table, in the practice of
sharing with those whose need is
greater than ours, the spirit of de-
mocracy becomes vivid and vital
throughout the world.
Thus it will be seen and under
stood that our obligation to save
and conserve food in every possible
way is growing each day. 1t is all
most impossible to increase our pro-
duction while more men are being
taken from the farms into the army
but we can still increase our saving
of food without any noticeable bad
effects. Since we cannot produce
more, it stands to reason that we
must save more if we meet the OBJ
legation we owe to humanity.