Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-10-21
Grand Work of
Red Cross in Aid
Of Stricken Belgium

Washington, Oct. el.-,The wal
council Of the American Red Cross
authorizes the following:
This section of the report Of the
| use of the Red Cross war fund. which
| is being made to the American people
| in weekly installments covers the acti-
| vities of the American Red Cross in
free Belgium. and for the Belgian
refugees in France. The need for re-
lief among this people has been and
still is great. and everything possible
is being done to make their burden as
light as possible.
"Relief work by the American Red
Cross in Belgium began in earnest In
September. 1917. From that time until
June 80. 1918. the money expended for
this work amounted to $1.432,374. The
appropriation to carry or the WORK
from that date until Dec. 81, 1918
| amounts to s1947,325. Thus up to next
Jan. 1. the American Red Cross will
have spent a total of sS.319,6S9 for
| work among the Belgians.
During all the time that Belgium
has been in the hands Of the Germans
the great need for relief has been
among the refugees. Of wh3m there are
about $4,000 in France alone. The
sum apportioned for their relief out OF
the money already expended amounts
to s1,015,51O. OF the appropriation
now available. including the work
among children and the hospitals for
civilians. the sum is about the same.
while the sum Of $SS2,544 is appro-
priated specifically for the relief and
comfort Of the Belgian soldiers.
'1n explanation Of the system adopt
ed for furnishing relief by those en-
trusted with the work, it may be stated
that before the present offensive began
free Belgium consisted Of about 5OO
square miles of territory. every yard OF
which was dominated by German
shells or bombs from aeroplanes. In
this territory there are in the neigh
borhood of 10000 people Of whom about
10, 900 are children under 10 years OF
age. These children are of no physlcal
aid in maintaining the country and are
constantly in danger Of bombardment.
Enough Belgian refugees are scattered
thruout England, Holland and Switzer-
land to bring the total number VINO
can be aided up to 100000.
"When the Belgian government was
cut of from it's own country and re-
souces, it set actively about keeping in
touch with its scattered population.
This work has been so systemized that
1t has proved Of the greatest aid 10
the Red Cross in it's relief work.
Furthermore. the Belgian government
and people have co-operated so efec-
lively, with the Red Cross that the lat
ter has been able to carry on greater
part of its activities among these
people thru efficient Belgian agencies.
among the first things done by the
American Red Gross was to aid the
Belgian Red Cross. which had four
hospitals to support from depleted
treasury. 1t completed a great new
hospital by contribution of half a
million francs and gave million to
the queen for the support of the hos
pital service. In every other way
possible it helped along this line OF
work, both in gifts OF money and OF
those things which the women bl
America so bountifully supplied.
"At the request Of the queen. the
American Red Cross also established a
chlldren's hospital near the front, in
Guiding a dispensary service. consulta-
ton service, home visiting, milk us
tributing and home and hospital care
by an American children's specialist
and nurses. It also established a chill
dren's colony at LeGander for $50 lit
tie Belgian children, and took active
work in supplying children's day nurs-
cries and baby saving work in France.
free Belgium. Switzerland and Holland
where $4,000 Belgian children arc
located
"This hospital and chtldren's work
was carried on at cost of 1896 for
the former and $4,000 for the latter
,, The appropriation for the current six
months amount to 1852 for work
among the children and $242,982 for
lthe assistance and maintenance OF
civilian hospitals.
sHere are a few Of the ways In
which the American Red Cross has at
tempted to help care for the Belgian
| refugees:
Assisted in .esta blishing nine hos.
pitfalls for combating disease among
the civilian population.
Gave more than $4,000 francs to the
Official COmmlLte6 LOT TeluSSc0 -
Havre to aid in furnishing general re-
lief. Countless times 1t replaced per-
sonal effects of various relief workers
at the front, who lost all their be-
!cng!ngs thru bombing or Smelling.
Gave monthly contribution Of 5000
francs to supply layettes and baby
clothing to poor mothers among the
refugees.
Supplied sewing machines for tie
use Of Belgian women among the refu-
gees.
Provided sawmill at Belgian
refugee colony. so that wooden shoes
could be made at the minimum cost.
Constructed barracks for a colony OF
400 children at Recques and has sup-
ported the institution ever since.
Supplied cows to several colonies Of
Belgian children It gave a fund az
100, 900 francs to assist the Belgian
peasant lace makers in continuing their
industry b s. n
In short, it followed the 600, 900 Rel-
Yian refugees wherever they went and