RELIEF WORK IN GERMANY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 122, 17 February 1920, Page 7

RELIEF WORK IN GERMANY

QUAKER SERVICE UNIT SENT WORK AMONG CHILDREN PLANNED Sixteen men and women members of tho American Friends' Service Comniitteo of Philadelphia were to leavo New York on the Imperalor recently to tako charge of relief measures for tho' children of Germany, under the direction of Mr.Herbert Hoover. They expect to continue the work until tho harvest next July, and longer if necessary. The departure of this unit says a writer in tho New York "Evening Post") will mark the first step taken to provide relief in Germany, which is tho last of sixteen countries to bo cared for out of tho European Children's Fund, now in Mrv Hoover's hands. Part of that fund will • be appropriated for the purchase of food' and clothing, but American Quakers working through their service committeo ' arc raising an additional 5.000,000 dollars. for such purchases. In addition, the com- : mitteo will pay all tho overhead expenses' o. i< unit. Four or more of tho sevoraL.hundrcd workers now being maintained in civilian relief work in France by the committee: will join the unit. Tho committee has! announced that another group of fourj or six workers will bo sent from America: within the next few weeks. The work in Germany was under taken. by the Quakers at tho request of Miv Hoover. Since early in tho war American '. Quakers have been aiding the civilian' population of Franco and other countries • in co-operation with English Friends, and, after tho signing of the nrmistico She Service Committee was the first organisation authorised by the French Gov- • eminent to do reconstruction work. Most of its members have been engaged in rebuilding Verdun since that time, the project including the construction of homes for more than two thousand families. No detailed plan has been adopted for handling the situation in Germany, which! is said to be particularly acuto in tho industrial districts. It is expected, how- • ever, that the country will be divided into districts. All the ships and shipping facilities under Mr. Hoover's dircctiou will be at tho disposal of the Quakers. Several noted business men and educators who havo bad previous experienco in relief work are included in the group. The workers will land in England and report to Mr. Hoover's headquarters there. The following statement was issued by Mr. Wilbur K. Thomas, executive secretary of the service committee:—"Thoro mo many persons who think that the Germans are not in any need of food and clothing. But since Mr. Hoover lias asked especially that we tako up this work, little doubt of its need should bo entertained by the public. Mr. Hoover, as food dictator of the world, has .vfnnd of twenty-three or twenty-four million dollars, which he will use for transport-, ing food from America to Europe. But the food itself, together with all overhead expenses, will be paid for out of our own fund, with Mr. Hoover acting as our purchasing agent. He will be. able to buy food at factory prices, and thus save us nearly 25 per cent." ,