Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1919-10-17
LARGE SUMS SENT
FOR RELIEF ABROAD
American Jews Have Given
$685. 37 in Eight Months for
Stricken People in Devastated
Countries of Europe.

GIfHt KCfCD1FgRf ~ AtAARA VI tAA~AA
stricken co-religionists abroad, accord
ing to a statement from Felix NJ.
Warburg, chairman of the joint dis
tribution committee for Jewish wal
sufferers, a copy Of which has been
received by Felix Fuld, chairman of
the 1919 New Jersey Relief Commit
tee. The campaign in this state to
raise $1,000,000 for Jewish Relief
opens October 20 and closes October
%.
More than half of the money, or
S~5,476,0O0, has been expended In Po-
land, where the Jews are found in
great numbers, and where food and
health conditions are worst. Sums
ranging from 100000 upward have
been distributed in Rumania, Siberia,
Turkey, Palestine, Czec~hoslovakia,
Jugoslavia and other countries where
the Jewish population is In dire
straits for food. clothing and other
necessities Of life.
Kosher meat, condensed milk, cot
tonseed oil, dress goods and numer-
Gus other simple articles have been
sent in quantities with this money
to the affected countries. The total
also includes several hundred thou
sand dollars in cash which has been
distributed to the needy.
Plans already laid call for the eX-
penditure Of even larger sums during
the remaining months of 1919, to save
the stricken Jewry of Eastern Eu-
rope from destruction. The American
Jewish Relief Committee is now con-
Quoting a series of state-by-state cam
paigns to provide a total of 35,000,000
for this work. All these campaigns
are non-sectarian, and the Jewry of
America is calling upon Americans of
every race and creed In its humanita-
rian work of saving the survivors of
the race abroad.
Recurrent epidemics of typhus or
spotted fever" which ravaged the
war devastated countries of Eastern
Europe last winter are feared in Po-
land and adjacent countries, accord
ing to the news advices received by
Fuld. All the dreadful toll that
may be exacted from among the i'll
fed, destitute people, cannot be fore
told, according to his late informa-
tion from abroad.
Lithuania a Heavy Loser.
Lithuania particularly suffered from
the sccurge, and some idea Of the
frightful conditions during the cpl
1op,io 10 oonvavad bv choIop, Acob In
a report of the joint distribution com-
mittee, which administers the funds
that are raised by the New Jersey
committee.
In many cities, he says, one may
often hear weeping in the streets, and
the frightened whisperings of people
the corners, as typhus swept
through the homes of the Jews.
"a population which has o had a
full meal for five years, and which
has wandered homelessly from place
to place, living in dirty freight cars
and railroad stations, without under
wear or change Of clothing through
out that period, naturally develops
spotted typhus," he states. "The dis
ease ragged everywhere, but chiefly
among the Jewish population. Thou
sands of children have been thus be-
reft Of their parents.
"In Kovno, a city that today has
10000 Jewish inhabitants, and is, from
o sanitary point of view, better pro-
eected than other cities, more than
80 per cent of the entire population
had spotted typhus, according to the
statistics supplied by the chief physi-
clan of the Jewish Hospital. In the
hospital reopened by the Jews upon
their return to Kovno, there were 500
cases alone. The institution, however,
has accommodation for less than half
this number, and most of the sick
lay on straw pallets spread on the
floor.
Used Paper Undertaking.
"Since the hospital was short a
sufficient supply of underwear, it was
necessary to use paper undercloth-
ing or half-torn sheets, quilts and
tablecloths gathered from anywhere.
The principal requirements of the
hospital, therefore,, are underwear
for the sick (Which cannot be pro-
cured for money in ~Lithuania), drugs,
bandages, cotton and other medicines.
This hospital was formerly supported
by public funds, but the general eco
nomic ruin has made it necessary to
supply aid from the Jewish Relief
funds.
I'm the province the epidemic was
much worse. In Slobodki, near Kovno,
almost half Of the 1000 Jewish in
habitants have had the disease. There
is not a single house which typhus has
not visited, and where 1t has not
claimed its victims. In the short time
I was there I heard weeping in the
streets, and groups of people gather
ed before the houses, talking In whis-
pers to each other. l asked she rea-
son for this in one house and was in
formed that the mother of even chill
dren had died Of spotted typhus. A
rabbi told me that there was not a
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