Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-08-24
TELLS OF FEEDING
100000 PEOPLE.
Hoover's Assistant Describes
Work Done by American
Relief Commission.
ARTIST TURNS HUMANITARIAN
Lewis Richards Plays on Heart
strings, Rather Than Ivory,
Five Years.

SAN FRANCISCO. August 23.-An
artist TO his finger tips-he is a pianist.
but this is not intended for a joke
Lewis Richards has not touched key
since Germany invaded Belgium in the
summer Of 1914 and prccipitated the
devoted himself, not to his art. but
10 humanity. and nc says it was not
a sacrifice. but n privilege.
lie is assistant director in Lon
don Of the great relief machine which
Herbert Hoover built up long before
the United States had any thought Of
that an artist may still be a red-b blood :
cd man and Il hard worker a I that, for
ne worked up to his present high po-
sition, from a modest beginnins.
ing friends. He came TO the United
States hurried!y. and he will soon be
leaving in the same manner He ar
ri d here July Is. having been in
of arts conferred by Wesleyan Uni
versity. Middletown, Conn. in recog-
time honors were conferred upon Cen
eral Wood, Governor Marcus Holcomb,
OF Connecticut, and others.
VIII Stny While Needed.
Il hope to return to my art some I,,
day" Richards said. But that Will
no longer be OF service in war relief
work.
Il have heard IT said that the United
states has been fighting the European
war. We have been hghting our own
war Tho United States has had the
great opportunity o. fighting its own
war other peoples territory we
saved our own land from all the raw
axes that France and Belgium have
suffered.
1T has been a great privilege and
vading armies until the proper de-
lenses were ready. 1t is absurd 10 say
that any country won the war bei-
GUM saved the situation AZ the begin,
ming But for Belgium, France would
have been wiped off the map and Eng
land would have followed IN short
order"
were in their Brussels home. When
the first gray horde OF uhlan troops
poured over the BELGIAN border they
watched the violation OF the !itsle
termincd defense that was made and
saw the Kaise-r armies checked.
Brand Wh!tl"ck. United States min
secretary OF the American legation IN
brussels. were friends % Richards and
through them he met Herbert Hoover
Hoove. invited richards 10. .assis,
devoted himself exclusively to helping
get food to the hungry people OF Bel
GUM and Northern France. He ma
worked without remuneration or hope
for II. worked gladly. and ne gave Ut
his art cheeriul!y and without regret
Helped First Belgian Relief.
Richards aided in the nrst relief &C
corded Belgium by the Commission for
Relief in Belgium and Northern
France, experimenting distribution o.
IooIstuns. From there he was sent
TO Northern France IN April, 1915. and
remained in France until he was re-
turned 20 Brussels 10 take charge as
secretary OF the commission. When
IN. United States entered the war
Hoover transferred him 10 London and
he has since remained assistant d:rec-
tor of the head office there.
Despite mines, torpcdoes and a!
weather conditions. the commission
handled more than 100000 tons of food
stuTs 4 month" said Richards. "As
a result of the commissions work the
people OF Belgium and of Northern
France have not known what IL is &c
be without food. The commission fed
clothed and cared for 10,00o,o0O men
women and children. 1t cost ahout
500 900 900 a month TO do this and the
success OF the undertaking was due
TO the genius OF Herbert Hoover"