The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-18
GROCERS |NDORSE
 NEAR EAST RELIEF
Canned Goods to Be Sent to Europe by Birmingham
 Merchants

Having indorsed the Canned Goods campaign of the Near East relief tho Wholesale Grocers association and the Retail Grocers and Butchers association, and the salesmen of the various films and companies, held a joint meeting at the Southern club last night at which plans for the campaign were outlined. W. NJ. Howe of Chattanooga, regional director of the Near East relief, who arrived yesterday from tour of Mississippi, made short talk in which he de- seribed the work of the association and conditions in-the Near East
 The Near East relief is corpora tion chartered by Congress and is required to make annual reports of receipts and disbursements to Con gress. It shows by its reports, MT. Howe stated, that the total cost of administration, collection, transpor tation and distribution of supplies is only per cent of the total receipts. This low cost Is made possible, he explained, by the cooperation of the railroads of the United States, S7 Of which haul food and clothing for the Near East relief free, and some of the ships make only a nominal charge for carrying them across the ocean.
 In 1916 Armenians to the number of 250,oO0 deserted their masters. the Turks, and fought for the allies, MT. Howe stated. They held the Ger mans back from the great oil wells in that region, wells from which the Germans hoped to obtain oil for their submarines with which they were then preying upon the commerce ot the world. It Is the widows and orphans oA these soldiers that the Near East relief is providing. More than 130,000 orphans are now in in- stitutions maintained, by this Ameri- can organization. They are not only given food and clothing, but they are being trained for useful occupa- tions and trades soc that they will be fitted for taking up the battle of life later on.
 Movie Features
 As part of the program of the even ing the moving picture Alice in
  girl who takes the part of Alice is about 12 years of age. Two or three years ago she was picked up, in a starved condition, on the streets of and sent to an orphanage to play the part and with out coaching or training she began the work. Two months later, when the picture had been completed, she was adopted by Mrs. Duryea, a Near East relief worker, and is now In school in New York. She had her first Christmas last winter and for the first time in her life experienced the pleasure of giving at this happy season of the year.
 The grocers of Birmingham both retail and wholesale, have agreed to accept orders for canned goods ana to add goods to the amount of their profits on such orders and then de- liver the entire amount to the Near East relief, of which R. A. Porter IS local chairman and Dr. R. N. Simp- son, vice chairman.
 Ministers To Aid
 The ministers of the city will take a few minutes at each service to- morrow to explain the canned goons All ministers of the city Protestant, Catholic and HepreW- have indorsed the movement ana pledged their hearty cooperation. The following Sunday pledge cards will be distributed and everybody asked to sign them These cards Will be collected and delivered to the Near East relief local committee which will sort them out and then hand them to the grocers whose names appear on them