Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-12-30
BOILED RICE At
$1,000 A PLATE
Thousands of New York's Men
and Women Pay That Amount
Each-Proceeds Are for Eu-
ropes Starving Children

New York, Dec. Cone thousand OF
Tew York's men and women of wealth
paid s., 900 or more each here tonight to
uit at a plain board table and eat boiled
rice
The banquet" was testimonial ar
ranged by Herbert Hoover chairman OF
the European Relief Council. of Ameri-
cas- effort to succor tho 35oo,cO starving
children of Europe.
The rice, accompanied by white bread
and a cup of cocoa, was the same as serv-
ed TO starving children at relief stations
throughout Europe at cost of less than
q cent and n half
General John ]. Pershing, Mr. Hoover
John d. Rockefeller, Jr.. Mrs. August
Belmont and other notables carried soup
bowls and were first In line that passed
by army field kitchens to be served. The
eervitors were society young women.
Fritz Kreisler entertained the diners
with several violin solos
vacant high chair, placed for the
'invisible" guest Of honor-the children
for whom Hoovers campaign of s35, 900 900
was launched stood at the head of the
speakers table
MIR. HOOVER SPEAKS
Mr.. Hoover said in part;
80 long as any person in this nation
can entertain an autOmoDlle, ne Gun en-
tertain an invisible guest There are
six million automobiles and only 3,5OoWu
guests. Since this nation is spending "a
billion dollars annually supporting auto
mobiles. another billion on ice cream,
cosmetics and chewing gum; a few bill
lion more on drinks, tobaccos and other
luxuries--it has not reached a point OF
destitution that warrants refusal to buy
happiness and cheerfulness for this mass
of children"
General Pershing. after eulogizing
Hoover for his work in Europe. imne-
diately after the war, said
'"To- day even the most destitute Of our
own children in America are rich In COM
parison with millions Of children OF the
poverty stricken nations of Europe who
appeal to us for help. 1t seems to me
that If there ever was a time In the his
tory of the world when human syiupa-
thics should be stirred to activity it is
during this after the-war period. a
mere recital of tho facts should MI our
hearts with the tender emotions that
prompted the Master to say: Suffer little
children to come unto me and forbid
them not for of such is the Kingdom OF
Heaven"
PERSHINC FOR DISARMAMENT
favor of world disarmament.
1.-THE world doesn't seem to learn from
experience he said. 1T would appear
that the lessons of the past six years
should he enough to convince everybody y
of the danger of nations striding up and
down the earth armed 10 :he teeth. But
no one nation can reduce armamcnts un-
less all do. Isn't il the time for an awak-
ening among enlightened peoples to the
end that the leading powers may reacl
some rational agreement which would not
only relieve the world Of this tcrribl,
financial load. hut which IN itself woud
he a long step toward the prevention OF
wars
ours is not an aggressive nation. We
want no territory, and We have no designs
on other people. If other nations have
the same attitude it seems unrcasonabl,
not TO believe that all would hc willing
90 prove 1t by consenting to limit arma-
meDts
Unless some such move be made We
may we'll ask ourselves whether civili-
zation does really reach a point where il
begins TO destroy itscIf--and whether w,
are thus doomed TO go headlong dowr
barbarsm."
An important step 20 prevent a recur.
rcnce of a world war even greater thar
the one recently ended would be to cur
tail expenditures for the maintenance o
) armies and navies. the general declared
Mr.. Hoover announced after the Dime
that the thousand guests paid S20l1 ,22
or more than 80 900 plate.