THE RELIEF OF BELGIUM.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 181, 9 June 1916, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE RELIEF OF BELGIUM.

By a recent mini we received from the Honorary Secretary of the National Committee for Relief in Belgium, a communication v. Inch is at once a striking indictment of Germany's continued inhumanity to Belgium and a powerful plea on behalf ot the mi'lions who, destitute, remain loyal in that outraged country. The communication, which he have been specially a ; keel to commend to the earnest consideration of our readers, is s gned by the Lord Mayor of London, as chairman ot tho National Committee for Relief in Belgiem, by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Cardinal Bourne, the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, tlia President of the Free Church Council, the Chief Rabbi, the Duke of Norfolk, Lords Lansdowne, Rosebery and Bryce, Mr. Arthur Henderson, Mr. John Redmond, Mr. Shine/ Benn (Hon. Treasurer), and Mr. V:. A. M. Goodo (Hon. Secretary). The letter is addressed to the Edjtor of the ' Chronicle," and reads;—

Twelve months ago we formed the National Committee for Relie-i in Belgium and appealed to our fe.low-sub-jects throughout the British Empire on behalf of a million and a half Belgians, oppressed and threatened with starvation in their own outraged country. The number or destitute Belgians in Belgium to-day exceeds three millions. Most of these are women and children. Sinue we made our previous appeal it has been conclusively proved that the Germans, contrary to every civilised precedent, will adhere to their "openly expressed intention not to support the Belgian population or supply ti em with food." The words quoted are used by Lord Robert Cecil, on behalf of the Government, in the House of Commons on January 27th last. That Lord Robert Cecil does not over-estimate the calculated cruelty of the German intention is shown Ivy the fact thai in Poland. where' there is no neutral channel for the distribution of relief, the civilian population have been allowed to die like flies, and over 300,000 ablebodied Polish men have been driven into Germany, there to work in the mines and industries, thus freeing 300,000 Germans to go to the fighting front. The same thing would undoubtedly happen in Be'gium but for food which reaches the Belgians through the Allies. It has been definitely ascertained that the food sent into Belgium does not reach or benefit the Germans. Lord Robert Cecil, or; February Slst last, stated in the House of Commons that the "Government are satisfied with the manner in which the Relief Commission has carried on its work and have exacted guarantees from the German authorities who might otherwise have taken advantage of the supplies." The confidential evidence of Belgians of repute, allowed out of Belgium, and of reliable neutrals, permitted into Belgium, confirms this official declaration. The neutral Relief Commission of which Mr. Herbert Hoover is Chairman, and which is conducted under the supervision of the American and Spanish diplomatic representatives, has be.en accurately described by Earl Cirzon as "an absilute miracle of scientific organisation, synonymous with economy and efficiency combined." Receipts from the 2,700 Belgian Communes slow that every ton of food imported into Belgium has been faithfully distributed by Belgians to Belgians under th.e close supervision of this Commission and its self-sacrificing American workers. The British National Committee, with the approval of iiie British and Belgian Governments, hands all its funds, without any deduction, tc Mr. Hoover's Commission to be expended-in food.. In the conviction that the methods of distributing relief in Belgium render it practically impossible for any appreciable quantity of the food to get into German hands, and with the evidence to justify this conviction, we do not hesitate again urgently to appeal to the British nation for further contributions. Our original appeal, up to date, has brought in over £'1,500,000, but this is almost £1,000,000 short of what is required, from British btr.evolenx sources, to enable the destitute in Belgium to maintain life with loyalty. Of the total so far received, more than £1,000,000 has come from Australia and New Zealand. Over seven nrilion defenceless civilians in Belgium, for more than a yeai slid a-half, have suffered a tyranny almost inconc-eivab'e to those in our own uninvaded land. Nevertheless, they have maintained a resistance none the less courageous because it must be passive, and, with almost negligible exceptions, they have refused to work for the Germans. Practically half of the whole of this population in Belgium, through no fault of their own, are row destitute and live on a pitiful ration. Is there any debt of honour more pressing or any work of humanity with a stronger claim than that of helping to keen body and soul together in <~he men, women and children in Belgium, who, in spire of misery and privati >n, endure all thing; anit loyally await the coming of the Alli.-s?