Evening star., 1924-05-12
Condition of Germany.
Writer Stresses Real Need for
Relief Work.

nellcI w Ofk.
To the Editor Of The Star: :.
The writer hrs enjoyed the blessings
Of this hospitable country since 1866,
because his father had taken a. vow In
1S4s that none of his sons should serve
In the army of an absolute German
| monarch He enlisted in the United
States Army in 1857 and served until
1887. Some of his ancestors served IN
the American revolution He has had no
sympathy with German aggrandizement,
but when he finds a people on the verge
OF starvation, and is SO told by Ameri-
cans who have fought hard against
them, he believes it, and his heart goes
out to the innocent victims of the world
war. 1t is we'll known that the first re-
lief after the armistice was extended by
the Quakers OF England and America,
and by officers and soldiers Of Gen. Al
lens army of occupation. In spite Of
such evidence, bitter critics insist that
there is no starvation, and the German
people had better stop their whining.
Is it reasonable to assume that the
committee headed by Gen. Allen, and
our local committee headed by Gen.
Miles, a veteran of three wars, would
issue appeals for relief without a posi-
tive knowledge of existing distress? Al
though Gen. Allen had first-hand OBJ
servation of suffering in one Of the
most prosperous provinces, in order to
ascertain the actual facts in December,
1923. his committee requested DIR. Haven
Emerson, professor Of public health, Co
lurnbia University. New York city, and
Ernest Patterson. professor OF eco
nomics, University Of Pennsylvania, to
make survey. AS a result OF this in
vestigadon they reported in January, as
follows: Twenty million people in
until the next harvest Supplementary
feeding and additional clothing must be
provided for at least six months. Their
only hope rests with the response OF
friendly America"
What is Germany doing to help her
self? In answer to this very pertinent
question, Prof. jeremiah w. jerks, a
noted American political economist.
makes the following statement: "Ac-
cording to the best available inforna-
tion, the German government and people
are doing fifty times as much general
relief as all outside sources combined ::
statistics show that two-thirds of the
expense OF all child feeding is being
done by the Germans. The chief burden
Of this work automatically falls upon
the big industralists. bankers and
asriculturists, as the heaviest taxpayers.
but, in addition. they are giving freely
as individuals"
What Is the German Element OF This
Country Doing for Relief
From an extensive study Of the
relief problem the writer feels con-
vinced that the people in Germany
who have relatives in this country
~,
periodical food supplies from here.
The German element also contributes
liberaRy for the relief of the starv-
ing people who are not blessed with
relatives in this country. But. after
all, this is only a drop in the bucket
when we consider the feeding of
60,000,000 people. 1t is a we'll known
fact that Germany for many years
had to import 40 per cent of it's
staple food supplies, cereals and fats.
| The records of the Department of
| Commerce show that Germany and
| Austria in 1890 and 1921 imported
| foodstuffs from our country at a cost
| of $284,699,130. 1t is also we'll known
I that most of the relief of the Allen
committee is shipped in -four, cereals
| fats and milk.
Our government has repeatedly de-
clared that we are not fighting the
| German people, but insisting on max
! ing the world safe for democracy
| President Coolidge is on record as
saying: 1T is very desirable that
| the private charity being organized
should go on"
Charges of scandalous Prosperity and
Extravaganza Are Refuted.
Mr.. James P. Grady of Albany,
n. T., an eyewitness, writes in the
| New York raldTribune as follows:
| "As l. have but recently returned
| from a|prolonged business trip tc
Germany. feel it my duty to answer
the people who are minimizing the
suffering in that country. Actua,
starvation is widespread in German,
and 1t is the women and children
chiefly who suffer. One hears of ga,
night life in Berlin, but if one will
only take the trouble to investigat.
he will find that most of the LAWS!
spenders are English, Americans,
Swiss and South Americans who are
living in Germany, many because Of
the low rate of exchange. OF course
there are profiteers in Germany, but
they are parasites found in all coun.
tries"
A number of American Statesmen
and the Secretary of Labor have per.
sonally witnessed the emaciatet
forms Of children and the siIen1
agony of starving men and womer
Of the middle and Intellectual classes
The recent vote of the bone anf
sinew OF Germany shows evidence Of
faith in the new republic" and al
honest endeavor to discharge hel
obligations as proposed by the Dawes
commission. For this purpose sh,
needs loan with which to buy foot
and raw material to convert labo1
into money for reparation payments
The rank and file still believe thai
work and faith in God alone car
save them from utter ruin. Nothins
short of hunger and starvation viii
drive them into anarchy and confu
sion. ] base this conclusion upon
study of the motives which prompted
the German element to migrate tt
our hospitable shores and the rol,
they have played in the liberation an,
defence as well as in the materia
development Of our beloved country
Can we afford to forsake a youns
republic in her hour of distress ant
struggle for existence? In this con
nection it may be we'll to recall
gress published in 1926 and quotet
by the Hon. Edward E. Browne (him
self of Puritan descent) in his speech
delivered March "a, 1924. as follows
TN the infancy of their politica
existence under the influence of those
principles Of liberty and right, 81
congenial to the cause for which
we have fought and triumphed. they
(the United States) were able Il
obtain the sanction Of but one grea
NIi1ocnnhfn q Int c
sovereign in Europe for their liberia
and enlightened principle. That SOW,
ereign was Frederick the Great. Ac.
cording to Mr.. Browne, Germany