Evening star., 1920-12-09
PRESIDENT SEEKS
RELIEF FOR CHINA
Asks Prominent Men to Form
Committee to Raise Fund
for Famine Area.

President Wilson today called on
the American people to contribute of
their funds to relieve the appalling"
distress in China resulting from
famine in several of the provinces.
The President invited a number of
prominent Americans to form a COM
mittee to obtain funds.
Thomas W. Lamont, of the banking
house of J. +. Morgan &, Co., was
designated as chairman of the COM
mittee and Acting Secretary Davis
of the State DEPARTMENT as treasurer.
. Presidents Statement.
The Presidents statement follows:
"A famine, alarming in it's proper
important i s1 proYicss S,is J China. n sevsns The
crop failure is cornpiefe and the pres
ent distress, which is great, is likely,
before winter has ruin its course, to
become appalling. In fact our diplo-
matte and consular agencies in China
inform me that the loss resulting from
death In distressing form may run
into millions of souls. 1t is certain
that the local government and estab-
lished agencies of relief are unable
to cope with the magnitude of the
disaster which faces them.
.,
be effective should be granted quick
~. Once more an opportunity is Of
fered to the American people to show
that prompt and generous response
with which they have invariably met
the call of their brother nations in
distress. The case of China 1 regard
as especially worthy of the earnest
attention of our citizens. To an un-
usual degree the Chinese people look
to us for counsel and for effective
friendship. Our churches, through
their religious and medical mission
aries, their schools and colleges, and
our philanthropic foundations have
fit. which her people recognize with
gratitude and devotion to the United
States Therefore, not only In the
name of humanity, but in that of the
friendliness which we feel for a great
people in distress. / venture to ask
that our citizens shall, even though
the task of giving is not today q light
one, respond as they can to this dis
tant but appealing cry for help.
d. c. Residents Asked to Aid.
an order to be assured of the or
derby collection OF such donations,
large or small. as may be offered,
have invited nationwide committee,
whose names are attached hereto, to
lend their aid to this matter. l have
designated Mr.. Thomas w. Lamont
of New York city to act as chairman
OF this committee and Mr.. Norman
Davis, undersecretary of state, to act
as treasurer.
II realize. that this call. added to
those for the underfed children of
eastern Europe and the afflicted peo-
pies of the near east. and to the needs
of our own country. makes heavy the
demand upon the bounty of the ma
tion. ] am confident, however. that
all these plans will be, answered in
generous spirit.
The residents Of Washington on the
committee are Secretary Houston Of
the Treasury Department; William p.
G. Harding. governor of the Federal
Reserve Board; Samuel Gompers.
president of the American Federati
of Labor; Dr.. Livingstone, Farrand.
president of the Red Cross; Robert
N. Harper. president of the District
National Bank and the Washington
Chamber of Commerce; Fairfax Harri-
son. president of the Southern rail-
road: Mrs. Cary Grayson. wife of the
Presidents physician; Mrs Henry P.
Fletcher and Norman Davis.