The Washington herald., 1920-02-23

esting and important reaction noted
after the actual sale Of American re-
lief administration warehouses food
drafts began was the clamor in Euro
pean cities for immediate contact with
buyers In America.
The earliest report received by the
American relief administration reflect
Ing the hope of Europe. was contained
in a cable from Vienna on February
II. 1t said that the first announce
ment of the warehouse plan was made
locally on Wednesday, February 4,
when interviews were given to repre-
sentatives of the Vienna press by
Lieut. Stockton, who represents the
Hoover organization in Austria Next
mornings papers gave prominent dis
play to the news, and during the day
applicants for information began be-
sieging the office. On Thursday. Fri
day and Saturday of that week more
than 5000 people asked for informa-
tion. On the fourth day the crowd
was handled only with great difficulty
by the police. who forced the people
into a formation three abreast, and
the line extended for more than two
blocks.
Cards Mailed to America.
Part of the plan as developed in Eu-
rope has been to have printed and dis
tributed postcards which can be mailed
to relatives or friends in America.
requesting the purchase of food-drafts.
Within ten days of the announcement
that operations had begun. 10000 of
these cards have been distributed to
the people of Vienna. Many demanded
cards who have neither relatives or
friends in America, but who wished
to address them to somebody in the
hope that the recipient would under
stand the need and send on an order
for food.
A number of these cards were sent
to Mr.. Hoover. Others were ad-
dressed to ]. Pierpont Morgan, Henry
Ford, Judge Gary, Oscar Hammer
stein and Secretary Lansing The
Burgomeister, Philadelphia city" was
written on one card, and Miss Hazel
Dawn. Broadway" was the address
on another. Others who received
cards returned them to the Vienna
warehouse office with addresses which
indicated that they had evidently
studied the advertising pages of GER
tain American periodicals. Others
had evidently copied old letter-heads.
For instance, one hopeful Viennese
submitted a carl addressed. IF not
delivered in ten days return to Otto
SteigeL" Another had on his card
Miss Bertha Schmidt. Villa Bertha
rooms to rent by week or month, Sea
Breeze avenue, Coney Island"
third wrote, the store closed at !
! p. m. daily, B. Altman & Co.. Msdi-
son avenue. Fifth avenue, Thirty
fourth street. Thirty-fifth street. New
York." and another Pastor DIR. JEFF.
| ferson breaches IL and 3. s p. m
Work and Money, New York"
Appeals from Csecho-sIoyakIa.
According to the cable, one Eien-
nese. not comprehending the informa-
tion given him, took two cards, ad-
dressing one to America and the other
to himself in the hope, no doubt, OF
making certain that he was doing
the right thing. Another happened
upon the idea of addressing his an
peal to the Mutual Life Insurance
Company in which he is policy
holder. He mentioned his policy num-
Der. apparently in the hope that the
insurance company would conclude
that it would be better to feed him
than to let him die.
The office of the Red Cross in
/ Vienna was also besieged by people
with cards asking for names and
addresses of Americans to whom
they could be sent. These applicants
believed that the only thing neces-
sary in order to get a food package
was TO secure the name and address
of an American.
Inquiries come to the Vienna Of
flee from persons in Czecho- -Slovakia
and Poland-from people obviously
who have not heard that these ware
houses are established at Prague
and Warsaw. As an indication of
the universal interest in the plan
in Vienna, popular song has been
published under the title. Have You
an Uncle in America" and explain
.lng that if you have. you can get
food through the food draft plan.
Large Contributions Obtained.
{ A considerable number of large
contributions have been received
for general relief. One of the first
lfood-drafts sold was for $4,000 to
the National Polish Commission of
America with headquarters in Chi
Icago. 1t was sent to the president
of the Polish republic, with instruc-
tions to distribute the food accord
ing to his ideas. Another draft for
$4,000 was purchased for general
relief in Austria by Jerome Stone
borough. of New York. whose wife
is native of Austria. Another for
$500 was sent over by the Ameri-
can Relief Committee for Austrian
Sufferers.
The American Red Cross has ar