THE NEED OF BELGIUM

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2901, 13 October 1916, Page 7

THE NEED OF BELGIUM

GREATER THAN EVER APPEAL FOR CONTINUED AID A circular-has been issued by the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. G. W. Rusecß) on the subject of Belgian roliof. Tno circular covers copies of the first annual report of the British National Committee for Relief in Belgium, a pamphlet containing. Mr. Asquith's speech at tho first annual meet-' ing of tho British National Oommitteo, and a pamphlet containing an article on tho work of the Neutral Commission ifor Relief in Belgium. Mr. Russell's letter proceeds: — "The report discloses that during its first year's operations tho National Committeo received donations totalling £1,637,714 -2s. 3d., (of which no loss a. sum than £1,220,280 was subscribed by British oversea Dominions and colonies, particularly Australia and New Zealand). Tho expenses deducted amounted to £27 3s. Id.—bank charges—so that the cost of- administration was practically nil. By the end of April £1,600,000 had been handed over to the Neutral Commission. '

"These figures, while necessarily a tribute both to generosity of the British peoples and tho economical administration of the National Committee, cannot with, any justification be used as an excuso for our hot doing more. Tho need of Belgium is a continuing'need; till, peace comes and gives "Ehem the freedom to work for what, even then, must bo the bare means of existence until their ruined country is restored, the people of Belgium' are entirely dependent on what is .provided iby the Entente Allies and neutrals. That which bpuglfb' yesterday's sußtonanco cannot provide to-day's. The final jparagraph!«f the report is eloquent in its baldness:— . . -"'ln closing this report it must

~ bo pointed' out that, although the need in ' Belgium is greater than ever, the income of our committee is decreasing. At .the risk of seenii ing ungrateful, your executive must \ urge those who have already worked so well to work even harder. There is overwhelming evidence to prove -that-if the benevolence of the British Empire slackens, tho suffering of the three millions who are destitute and oppressed in Belgium will be tragically intensified. Your Executive.Council earnestly trust that strenuous efforts will be made to avert this .added misery.'

< 'Every month the Neutral Commission has-'to- face a deficit of £400,000, which must be met through the benevolence of the world. For all our efforts, w'e'.'people .of the British EmpiroV'have only been contributing at the rate of £135,000 per month. In the "face of this, can we (especially we at -this-end of the world, who have been spared not only the horrors of invasion, but tho economic disaster wihich'. has. overwhelmed Belgium and had'its effect almost everywhere else) slacken'our relief efforts for a single day? '.'ln previous letters I drew attention to the conclusive evidence that food l supplies reach the Belgians. To this must be added the testimony of the • Prime Minister of, the United Kingdom. At the annual meeting' of the British National Committee. Mr. lAsquith, in moving the' adoption of the report, mado a stirring speech, in the course of which, speaking on behalf of the Imperial Government, and with a full realisation of the responsibility of such an utterance by him, he stated:—

!.: " " The enormous/volume of ship- ,' .ping and food" supplies rendered! '■necessary naturally brings the op- ' erations of" the Neutral Commission under tie closest supervision of the Admiralty and tho War Office here. I am glad to be in a B .position to say on behalf of those Departments and of His Majesty's . Government, that we are convinced that the relief food reaches the Belgians and tho French, and reaches them alone.' "I need: add nothing to this beyond, explaining that, though the relief of those parts of Franco wihich are in enemy occupation is naturally controlled by tho Neutral Commission, the Northern French destitute are cared for out of communal advances, and are not tho subject of public appeal. Money raised in the British Domnuonsi is expended on Belgian relief alone. :