The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1920-01-28
RELIEF WORK. THE
PROBLEM and THE SOLUTION

1 D, there fuel of any sort nor means ia
obtain it.
Disease is taking a terrible toll, for
the hospitals were not spared, physi-
clans are few, and the supplies of
medicines long ago were exhausted.
One dare not dwell on the dire posi-
bilities Of the coming winter.
Through its effective organization.
the Joint Distribution Committee Is
striving. to the limit Of Its means, to
find, allot, transport and get to the
sufferers in time, not only food but
clothing, medicines and other supplies.
1t is also concerning itself earnestly
with the housing problem.
Extreme care is exercised in the dis
tribution. First, the needs Of each
stricken community are studied by the
committees experts; then. and with
equal care, the available sources Of
supply and difficulties Of transporta-
ton.
In a single cargo sent out from the
United States were shipments destined
for some seventy-nine different cities
and towns in Central and Eastern Eur
Ope. To each had been allotted its
proportion of flour, oil and milk, based
on the general and the local needs
already asc~ertained, and on the avail
able supply. To Warsaw went, for
instance, 5,130 sacks of rye flour, 500
barrels of oil and 1000 boxes of milk,
while IS sacks of rye flour and four
barrels Of oil were billed to Ciechanow.
Nearly always these letters carry to
their recipients the first word they
have had from loved II since the
war began. Most of them tell Of dis
tressing need and carry appeals for
aid. In this way the committee be-
cOmes the agency for the sending Of
direct help from individual to 'ndivid-
ual, 80 that the number Of those de-
pendent IN general relief is lessoned.
BY centering their distribution in a
single committee, the Jewish organiza-
tions do away with duplication and
make for efficiency in every branch of
their relief work. This efficiency is
increased by the committees hearty
cooperation with other relief agencies,
national and local; and with the Amer
lean Relief Administrations Children's
Bureau.
The wars scattering of the members
Of Jewish communities who fled from
city to city before advancing armies,
or who were driven from their homes
by the military authorities, and the
consequent breaking up Of innumer-
able families by separation and by
death, laid one particularly difficult
burden on the workers for the Joint
committee.
To provide means Of communication
between wives separated from their
husbands, and children from their par
ents, and particularly to enable people
in Europe to get into touch with rela-
tives and friends in America, the COM
mittee established a transmission bu-
reau.
In almost every city where relief IS
required. the representatives Of the
committee receive hundreds, sometimes
thousands, of letters for persons In
the United States whose addresses are
unknown to the writer's. These are
forwarded here and systematic search
for the individuals is made.
Primarily the relief work carried on
by the American Jews is for the aid
of Jews. This is because Of the ex-
treme difficulty in getting relief to the
destitute Jewish millions In Europe
through any other agency. Out Of
crushing experiences of the war the
Jews Of Central and Eastern Europe
have come not only without homes,
or possessions, or means Of livelihood.
but lacking confidence In any except
their own people.
Vast as the work of the American
Relief Administration. the Red Cross.
and other such organizations has been
and continues to be, the need for
American Jewish relief. therefore, has
been imperative. And it was never
more necessary than now.
But while covering this field, 80 De-
culiarly It's own, the Joint Distribution
Committee does not confne itself to
the relief Of Jews. Its work extends
beyond the limitations Of race or
creed.