Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-01-17
By MABEL WHEELER.


More than seven hundred Hoosier folk
attended the Invisible guest" luncheon
held in the Riley room at the ClaypooI
Hotel at noon. In all probability this
was the most illustrious gathering that
ever turned out in the city at the call Of
one man. On the entry of Herbert
Hoover, the great mass of people stood
simultaneously and enthusiastically
greeted the famous humanitarian.
Although this was the most expensive
luncheon ever served and although the
guests represented the most brilliant of
society folk, the Riley room never was as
bare of decoration. Rough board tables
were used for the individual parties and
long double board for the speakers
table The food consisted of rice cruel
that had to be drunk from the bowls, no
silver being furnished, cocoa in tin cups
and coarse. black bread, the food that is
being served once daily III 1900 American
relief stations 10 3,5OOOOO babies in cen
tral and eastern Europe The bread was
in tin pan and there were no napkins
At the speakers table were Mr. Hoover,
Governor Warren T. McCray, Caleb S.
Denny, State chairman; Rabbi Morris NJ
Feuerlicht, S. Z. Nicholson of New York.
Harper J. Ransburg and J. / Holcomb,
local chairman
Although the decorations were scace,
| a ten piece orchestra on the mezzanine
floor added a festive note to the somber
color of the food fest.
Rabbi Feuerlicht opened the program
! with the Invocation, which was followed
! by the Introduction of Governor McCray
/ by Mr. Denny, who, after brief word,
introduced Mr.. Hoover, who was forced
/ TO stand several minutes before the
! (lpPTIner Of ba anil Sc,
/ puleted enough to allow him to speak.
MAKES NO PRETENSE
/ AT ORATORY.
The noted relief work leader made no
/ pfetense at oratory, but made his mes
sage straight from the shoulder with
ouSlness-1ke precision. Declaring this
! appeal to be "the greatest plea for mercy
TINS generation has ever known" Mr..
Hoover reviewed the situation left In the
wake Of the holocaust of war.
There are millions and millions of nm
dernourished, underclothed and under
| c2red-for babies and children in all the
countries of eastern and central Europe"
he declared. This fund of $50 OOO coo we
are seeking from America cannot begin To
care for all of these-there are $500, 900
oaoleS, however, who are actually in i'm
minent peril OF death from starvation nm
less generous hearted America quickly
completes the fund which will assure that
the 1900 relief stations can continue their
work Of mercy"
Mr.. Hoover praised the spirit of GEN
erosity displayed by the people of Iu-
diana, as manifested in the large at
tendance at so costly a luncheon. but
gave the story Of the s., 600 a-pIate dinner
| served recently in New York City, at
which more than 100000 was pledged
for the national fund Mr.. Hoover also
gave fullest credit to the eight great
American welfare and relief organiza-
| tions which are banded together in this
work of humanity.
These organizations are: The Amerf-
can Relief Administration American Red
Cross, American Friends (QuakersJ
Service Committee, Knights of Columbus.
Jewish Joint Distribution COMMITTEES,
the CHURCHES of Christ in America the
Y. NJ. c. A. and the Y. w. c. A Each
| of these organizations has agents in
Europe engaged in this mercy crusade in
saving baby lives and each of these or
ganizatfOns in America is lending fullest
aid 70 the campaign for collecting the
funds
TEARS BROUGHT
TO MANY EYES
Mr.. HoOver's speech, despite its lack
OF oratorical skill was so dramatic In
its intensity as to bring tears to the
eyes of his audience. Here was a real
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