U.S.A. AND BELGIAN CHARITIES.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 28 September 1917, Page 3

U.S.A. AND BELGIAN CHARITIES.

To the Editor. Sir, —The "National Committee for Relief in Belgium" recently announced that they were suspending their appeals in this country, as the U.S.A. Government had taken on itself the Work of relieving the Belgians in Belgium. This announcement, although quite clear in itself, has left a widespread impression, that all other Belgian Charities had also stopped, and in consequence there has been a marked falling off in the subscriptions to other Belgian Funds. I shall esteem it a favour if you will kindly make it clear to your readers, that the Work taken over by the U.S.A. Government is that of relieving Belgians in Belgium, and that there are other numerous Charities, which are still being carried out in this country. The objects of some of these may be mentioned. 1. Care of the Broken down Belgian Children, brought from.Belgium into Holland for treatment. 2. Care of the Wives and Children of War Prisoners and Interned Belgian Men in Holland. 3. Instruction of Blind and Maimed Soldiers in new Trades, in England, France and Switzerland.

4. Provision of Elementary Comforts for Belgian Soldiers in the Trenches, who are cut off from their families in Belgium. 5. Core of the Soldiers in the Training 'Camps and the Wounded in the Hospitals.

6. Care of the Men who have escaped from Belgium to enlist in the Belgian Army and who are without means.

7. Provision of necessities and comforts to Belgian Interned Soldiers in Holland.

8. Provision of necessities and comforts to Belgian Prisoners of War in Germany.

The above are all cases in which it is impossible for aid to be obtained from Belgium, and . unless these charitable institutions are assisted by British Public, the Belgian Soldiers will not have the necessary comforts, and the plight of the poor unfortunate Belgian Civilians will be miserable in the extreme. The Work undertaken by the U.S.A. Government does not cover these cases at all.

We trust therefore that the generous British Public will continue their subscriptions as before. —I am, etc., Emile Vandervelde, Belgian Minister of State.