The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1915. " THE ALLIES' TENT."

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 146, 23 February 1915, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1915. " THE ALLIES' TENT."

(With which is incorporated The Tui hape Post 'i.na Waixnarino Newa.)

A prominent, outstanding feature of the Show to-morrow, and one that everybody on the ground should feel it their duty to support and patronise, is the luncheon marquee, or as it is being aptly termed, "The Allies' Tent," which is entirely provided for by the ladies of Taihape, who will preside over it throughout the day, dispensing those comforts so necessary for the replenishment of the inner man, for a consideration. It is fairly generally known that the total proceeds of the luncheon and afternoon tea booth are to go to the starving women, children, old men and cripples of Belgium. Let us not forget amid all our pleasures that our Empire was on the verge of crumbling under German militarism and material mih and that, even by this very time, we might have been the slaves of Germany had it not been for the honour, bravery and noble sacrifices of Belgians, Let • us not thrust the unpleasant thought from our minds to-morroAv, when, without injuring ourselves, we can do something towards rescuing from the most miserable of deaths a few of the seven million Begian people Avho must starve if British people do not help them. It is belittling to our dignity, perhaps, to have to realise the awful and hopeless position our Empire would have been in without Belgium's help, but, however much anyone may wish to ptff the thought from him, it is a fact admitted by the world. When we see the ''Allies' Tent" tomorrow let us realise that our pleasures and immunity from the savagery of Germany is all owing to the glorious and noble part p'ayed by Belgium in standing between' our mothers, wives, slaughters, children and others .xinable to Help themselves, and the German hordes whs have

desolation wherever they have ivone, destroying the sacredness of everything in this world that mankind holds most dear, and in protection of which every man is ready to shed his blood. Do not let ns forget the seven millions of mothers, wives, daughters, children, old people and cripples that are now practically at the mercy of those worse than savages, and when we see our women striving with noble effort to-morrow to help to rescue a few of the women and children of brave Belgium let ns respond, if not as liberally as our debt to Belgium merits, then with all the heartiness we think our pockets will permit; but : above all let there be no thoughtlessness, misgiving or undue certainty about our security, for learned experts do not hesitate to warn us that the war is by no means won or lost yet. We need the help of Belgians now as much as ever we did and it is imperative that we should render that assistance that will keep them from rather being the slaves of Germany than dying of starvation. The helpless of Belgium lay at our doors, wives who have to keep life in their infants with a little soup for want of milk, little girls who have both their hands hacked off, and others who have been injured and mutilated in a merciless and maniacal fashion. Don't let us forget them to-morrow when our own women, of whom we feel proud, are straining every effort in a merciful work while in thought they see the misery, degradation, anguish and helplessness of their sisters in far-away Belgium. «• » * *

Like a special message, there was cabled to us yesterday an extremely urgent and pathetic appeal, in which the danger is expressed of starvation causing Belgians to work on the side of Germany rather than die, -or worse, see their loved ones give up life for want of food. The message states that in Brussels alone are two hundred thousand daily waiting in the snow for bread, the small dole of eight ounces, which is to last them twenty-four hours. In Liege there are thirty thousand women, children and cripples waiting with strained faces for N the halfpound of bread, which, even, is sometimes not forthcoming. The Belgian Commission, from whom the appeal comes, expresses a fear that the amazing self-re-straint of the people, and th.eir suppressed yet inevitable hatred for their savage invaders will collapse under the impelling anguish of forced hunger and a condition that has become desperately tragic! In their appeal to Germans for food, we are told by the Commission, they are shot down like ravenous dogs, and the Commision asks, will Australia and New Zealand stand by calmly and await such an end to Belgium's noble sacrifice 1 ' Only stupendous organised effort can avert the catastrophe they suggest may happen. Australia and New Zealand arc expected tc contribute £75,000 a month while the necessity lasts, not necessarily in cash but in wheat or meat. We can all realise from this appeal the desperate condition Belgium is in, and we can also read between'the lines that our Empire has (Still a mighty work to accomplish before we are justified in taking to ourselves any feeling of lasting security. We feel sure that the splendid, humane efforts our women are making will not go with any mean reward; know that they will do their part with feelings that man is almost incapable of, and Ave feel equally sure that when the resultant of their noble work is counted it will compare favourably with what has been accomplished in other places on similar occasions. In Wanganui upwards of £4OO was taken by the ladies there, but- Taihape is not yet a Wanganui, and it would be absurd to expect anything like such results, but Ave think that in proportion to population and the number of visitors present the efforts will not be one whit less honourable.