Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-08-23
AMERICAN CHARITY

New York, Aug. 23.-Word has
been received at the headquarters
here Of the American Relief Admin
istration that the gift by American
farmers to hungry Austrian children
10000 bushels of corn-has reach
ed Vienna in the form of grlts, meal,
flour and other milled products. The
donation represented cash value OF
100000 on the part of the farmers.
In addition, the railroads gave free
transportation to seaboard, ana the
four brotherhoods of railroad employ
es furnished crews who ran the trains
without pay. The action OF the brother
hoods was voluntary, while the ran,
road companies willingly complied
with the request of Herbert Hoover,
chairman of the American Relief Adj
ministration. that they cooperate;
The Chicago Board of Trade waived
it's charge Of $500 a car, the gram
elevators cut their charges from l Ia
cents to rs of a cent per bushel ana
the millers reduced theirs five cents
a bushel.
At the same time the farmers con-
tributed $4,000 bushels of corn,
worth 1924 900, for Polish relief and
this has recently arrived in Warsaw,
according to reports to the American
Relief Administration.
DR.. Clemens Pirquet world famous
health expert who has been co-operat
ing with the American Relief Admin
istration in Austria, wrote as follows
from Vienna in acknowledging the
gift:
"For two years our population has
been ENJOYING the generous help OF
the Americans, thousands OF chlioreh
being actually saved from starvation
because a good and nourishing meal
was prepared for them at the Amell-
can kitchens every day. The American
FLAGS across the school buildings
where the feeding stations are located
have become we'll known feature
here and throughout Austria. But
during the past months the question
often arose as to how long the Amerl-
can Relief Administration would be
able to continue its work, for even
Mr.. Hoover's tremendous efforts to
help the children of Central Europe
could not be expected to go on for
ever.
THAT is why we so greatly appre-
ciated the generous donation OF the
American farmers for it vii! enable
us to furnish hundreds and thousands
of portions of good square meal TO
the children. We are grateful to all
the kind Americans that have helped
to make the Hoover drive success
but we are especially thankful to
these good farmers for their splendid
spirit
The corn gift was first suggested
in January last when }. K. howard,
president of the American Farm bu-
reau Federation wrote to Mr.. Hoover
that the farmers Of the corn belt,
anxious to aid the European Relief
Council drive, then in full swing,
were short on cash but had surplus
of corn they would gladly contribute.
General Ashner Miner, head of
large milling corcern in Wilkesbarre,
Pa. and T. NJ Chivington, secretary
of the American Corn Millers' Fedora
ton. undertook to enlist the miller.
As soon as word of what was afoot
reached the railroad brotherhoods.
Warren S Stone, chief of the en-
gineers, l.. +. Shepherd. of the con-
ductors. ". S. Carter of the iocomo-
tive firemen and enginemen, and W.
G. Lee, Of the railroad trainmen. sent
their offer of crews to Mr.. Hoover.
Daniel B Willard, president of the
B. and o. Railroad, and Conrad L.
Spens, of the c. B. & O., were in
strumental in arranging free trans
portation. Howard 8. Jackson. Of Jack
son Brothers, Chicago, had much to
do with persuading the Board Of,
Trade and grain elevators to help out.