Evening star., 1941-03-26
Comments on Role Of
Rumanian Children.
To the Editor nf The Star.

For purposes of record and information
"Rumanias Contribution" of March II
commenting on an Associated Press dis
patch from Bucharest dated March IA.
The A. P. story was to the effect that
the Department OF Agriculture had is
sued a decree drafting" for agricultural
labor all able bodied persons above the
age of IL years.
The fact of the case is that Rumania
Is now and has always been a country
essentially agricultural and that, there
fore, each spring and fall all available
hands go out in force to pillow and sow
the fields. This farming routine dates
from the earliest times and is not, as has
been suggested, the effect of recent de-
velopments in international politics.
Today Rumania has a standing ma
tional army of some 100000 men out
of a population of 13.500,000. She has
lost much rich land both in the east and
south. Hard work has always been the
lot of Rumanians and harder work is
required under present circumstances to
satisfy the needs of the Rumanian state
and of the Rumanian people. The women
have always worked alongside of their
menfolk in the fields, as in their homes
and gardens, and at the peak of the
rush of spring and fall sowing the chill
dren also have helped their parents as a
matter of course. Dispensation from
school attendance for short periods has
often been given to peasant pupils,
notably in the last war. The recent
decree of the Agriculture Department
merely gives anew recognition to the
necessity for an all-out effort to keep the
nation from starving or begging for food
stuffs from abroad 1t is an effort by
all the people of Rumania in the interest
of their own welfare and the participa-
ton in it of women and children may be
offered as proof of the unity in which
the Rumanian peasant family faces its
destiny. HORIA BABES,
Attache, Royal Legation of Rumania.
Explains How mile O. Dimes"
Originated in Knoxville, Tenn.
To the Editor of The Star:
I wish to call your attention to an
article appearing on Page A-3 in The
Sunday Star, March %.
This article states that the Mile O.
Dimes" idea originated here three years
ago under the sponsorship of Radio
Stations WMAL and WRC.
There may be some truth in this state
ment if applied specifically to the in
fantile paralysis campaign. I don't
know. However, the citizens of Knox
vile, Tenn, have had Mile O. Dimes"
campaign annually for about 20 years.
In the early 20's I remember that
method was used to collect money for
charity purposes from the Christmas
holidays until New Year. A distance of
/ mile was marked off on Magnolia
avenue and one row of dimes was placed
on the sidewalk, with certain days al
lotted to different groups to place their
contributions. Apparently no police pro-
lection was used to guard the money but
none was ever stolen.
This was before radios were widely
used, but the Knoxville newspapers sup
ported the campaign. Back copies of
these papers will prove my statement.
For the past several years this cam
paign has been carried on in connection
with the radio stations, just as it is
done here.
I believe the citizens Of Knoxville will
want to challenge the statement that the