Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-05-17
ASKS ENORMOUS
sum FOR Relief
WORK IN EUROPE
Henry p. Dawson Asks
Huge Appropriation in
Address Before
Meth0dists.
WANTS $5OO,0OO,O 900
Wants Commission to AL
locate Material to Suf-
fering.
(By The Associated Press)

| by Inc ASSOClaLeu ITcSS).
] Des Moines, Iowa, May 17.-Henry
+. Dawson. of J. =. Morgan and com
pany, chairman of the board of COVER
nors of the league Of the Red Cross
societies, told the general conference Of
the Methodist Episcopal church here
today that zone of the most terrible
tragedies in the history of the human
race is being enacted within the broad
belt of territory lying between the
Baltic states, Poland, .Czecho SlOvakia,
ukarine. Austria, Hungary, Rumania
Montenegro, Albania and Serbia.
MI. Dawson asked that congress i'm
Imediately appropriate not exceeding
$500. 100000 for the use of the coun-
tries of central and eastern Europe.
He requested that congress call upon
the president to appoint non-pOlitical
commission of three Americans, dis
Itinguished for their character and eX-
|ecutive ability, which should proceed
lat once to survey the conditions in
these countries and to allocate mater
ialS to them without interference and
by exercise Of its own prerOgative. He
suggested for members Of the commits
sion men of the type of General Pevsh-
ing, Herbert Hoover and former Sec
that he had no doubt that the obliga-
ton would be repaid and suggested it
should run for Is years.
Others to Help.
He urged also that the United States
invite other governments in a position
to assist and participate in the under
taking and declared:
II am contiden: that our action
would be followed by the governments
of Great Britain, Holland, the Scandi-
navian countries, Spain and Japan and
that France and Belgium and Italy.
their losses. would
help to the best of their ability
The sum suggested by Mr.. Dawson
for appropriation by congress exceeds
the total of all the Red Cross has ex-
pended in the war and since, which is
placed by him at approximately $780,
OOC, C,0OC.
Compared with the $500, 900, 900 ask
ed for by Mr.. Dawson, the Belgian re-
lief fund would be but drop in
buckc,.
Ignorant of Facts.
Mr.. Dawson said lie was custodian
of authoritative reports recording ap-
palling conditions among millions of
people living in eastern Europ II be-
lieve," he said, that the apathy and
Indifference which prevails today are
due alone to the fact that American
people have not graspcd the dreadful
facts.
THE reports which come to us make
it clear that i'm these war-ravished
lands civilization has broken down,
men, women, and children are dying by
thousands and over vast once civil
lied areas there are found neither
medical appliances nor medical skill
sufficient to cope with the devastating
plagues.'
Typhus Epidemic.
summarizing these reports, Mr..
Dawson said that one of the worst
typhus epidemics in the worlds history
now existed among the Poles who were
threatened with wholesale starvation
this summer: that typhus. influenza,
or tuberculosis existed in
Czecho Sl0vakia. Serbia, Rumania and
the Ukraine, and that there was lack
OF medicine. soap and physicians to
combat these diseases. He pointed
to the menace of typhus 'at our
threshold and asked how long before
Il might creep to our own shores"
He contracted this with the condition
in the United States where he said
plenty abounded. and asked if the con-
ditions were reversed whether Ameri-
hearflcssneSs of Europe. I'VE can af-
ford to die" he said, but to he des-
pissed forever as u greedy and pharisic-
al nation is fate we must not incur"
Sweetener of hut and hall. bringer of
life out of uaught: freedom. d foireSt