Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-12-06

ed by poor crops and destruction.
ana such as they possessed disap-
peared from circulation IN the face
of the, social and moral disintegra-
ton of revolution and collapse.
Again America intervened a third
time to preysat famine. It We were
to have a maintenance of civilization,
IL we were. To save Europe from
anarchy and Bolsheviem. il No veTe
to have a. preservation Of order and
stability in government from which
pease could be wen. ne weFe COM
PEELED - interveae. With IT. disin-
terestedness, IT. powerful eesnomic
strength and it, great moral roso-
lution. not only did we undertake to
feed both enemy and friend. but to
restore economic life. To accomplish
this we weYe compelled to head an
economic dQmination. an actual con-
troll OF credit ef shipping Of rail-
ways, OF coal mines OF teiegraphs,
set up advisory commissions to new
and weak governments, dictate their
economic policies, and bring about
mobility in their remaiAing resources
in food. Fourteen states had broken
from the fragments Of the. old en-
pires, many OF them weak and tot
terinE.
As . result Of this third interven-
tiOn there was no starvation in Eu-I
rope. The foundations were laid for
the recupsration. for peace. and for
the rehabilitation OF civilization.
The American people furnished two
and one-half billions Of dollars of
supplies ON credit and charity dur
ing the armietice.
Parallel with the many economic
measures with which this fight for
order and lite was made again ran
the vital thread Of special provision
for the children. With all the speed
that America could bring to bear.
the system that had been installed
under my direction in Belgium and
France was spread over Finland,
Latvia, Lithuania, Germany. Austria,
Hungary. Poland. Czecho-Slovakia.
Serbia, Roumania and Armenia, and
within five months after the armis-
tice six millions Of children were liv-
ing directly at the hands of Ameri-
can charity.
In organising this expression of the
American heart toward this, the most
pittable of the dotsam of the war, my
colleagues and were dominated by
the vision that this must be q step in
self-help, not a step toward pauper-
ism. We assembled the best native
business men and most capable
women in each of thirteen countries,
and formed them into separate ma
fional associations, each association
charged with the welfare Of the whole
OF the destitute children Of their own
country Branches of these associa-
tions were spread by American organ
izers over every needy town and viii
lage. Instruction was given on meth
cd and organization. Over $4,000
homes, hospitals. canteens and kit
chens were hurriedly erected in every
| destitute place. and the doors opened
to all the children. We undertook to
supply the deficient food and clothing
and medical supplies. contingent upon
their government, municipalities or
local charity finding the cost of every
local outlay
We have had "a double object in
creating these associations. The first
was to serve the immediate purpose of
naving the children. THE second was
to build up machinery and orgniza-
tions by which these people, with
gradual recuperation, could take care
OF their own. There has been no
pauperization Of Europe by these
measures for where economic recov-
cry has permitted us, we have with
drawn. az In Belgium and France.
from Roumania and Serbia, and these
associations have been able to carry
on the support Of their children with
out assistance from us in food and
clothing. Many Of them still need
medical service from our Red Gross.
While the American organizations
have been able to reduce the numbers
dependent upon US in some countries,
we still have the burden Of $500. 900
children. We must 60 on for another
winter.
+ Under the form of organization that
we nave established. the child welfare
| committee of each and every country
through national and municipal SUBJ
tention and through public charity
furnishes every item Of expenditure
within their own borders. They fur
nish the great personal of 10000
people today engaged in service in
these institutions. Not one penny Of
American money is expended other
wise than for the delivery of todd
stuns to their ports and the support.
OF some forty Americans, who co..
ordinate. inspect and give moral sun
port to these institutions. On the food
ana clothing side, the whole American
overhead is not one per cent. On the
medical side, the doctors ana nu~.as
represent larger proportion. In
the course of these organizations
1900 canteens orphan asylums ana
hospitals are now being supported.
and unless we can keep them funr-
tioning 100000 children win ha
turned from their doors. Yet it costs
but little, more than a dollar psr
month per child to keep them alive.
Famine and shortage of food nro-
duetion bears especially heavily upon
children. At the first stage of famine.
the human animal seizes the food Of
his cattle and thus cuts or the supply
Of milk for his children. At the later
stages Of famine, he eats his cattle.
The children Of the white races are
absolutely dependent upon their cat
tie. When all other food production
mas recupeyated, famine still fingers
In the food Of children. Indeed our
major service today is the supply of
RAk~ a.