New-York tribune. [volume], January 17, 1916, Image 7

About New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
KINGDOM
GRIEF!
A penny a day from every Amer?
ican will clothe the ragged women
and children of Belgium and Northern
France.
Think of it: One cent per head
from the inhabitants of the United
States means a million dollars daily?
if all of us did our share.
But that would mean calling upon the
babe in arms and the cripple on crutches?the
slum dweller and the backwoodsman?farmers
and villagers and city folk?it would demand
an organization, not only to carry the news of
Belgium's plight, but to collect funds and do
any number of other practically impossible
things.
While all America must, in theory, provide
for Belgium's destitute, a few Americans will,
in actuality, have to do the work.
The burden of relief falls upon the big
cities, where concentrated action is possible
and where the daily press can bring the con?
dition of these innocent sufferers of a World's
War constantly to the notice of the commu?
nity, until every one comprehends their dire
straits and the pressing need.
In such instances as these, you, the aver?
age man and woman, are all too likely to as?
sume that your co-operation is not vitally re?
quired,?that there will be enough assistance
rendered without your individual aid, and,
contrasting your means with the income of a
multitude of richer men, will, in genuine sin?
cerity, figure that a general call for aid is not
specially directed at you.
But you probably have not stopped to
think that the wealthy have already donated
millions for relief, while the need continues
and steadily grows more severe.
Don't think of the millions of dollars that
have been raised, but think of the three millions
in Belgium and Northern France who are still
destitute. Previous contributions seem stu?
pendous until you consider the number of
beneficiaries, and then you'll find what a short
end the individual gets.
The Commission for Relief in Belgium at no time has
been able to allow more than seven cents per day for man,
woman or child. (Imagine how luxuriously you could live
upon 50c. a week!) And yet this miserable pittance has
been received with great gratitude that you (whose notion
of poverty has never included even the idea of a week of
existence without shelter or provision) cannot possibly
imagine.
Get this picture fixed in your mind and dwell upon it; whole com?
munities, including families which fifteen months ago were dwelling in
opulence, are without money, without clothes (except the horrible rags
in which they stand) and without hope of survival, except through the
prompt aid of America.
No other country can undertake the tremendous task.
The aged, the children and the women will perish by the hundreds
of thousands if we do not continue to clothe as well as feed them. t M)mM
You surely don't want it on your conscience that for lack of a few
dollars' worth of aid (with which one human being can, in that war
mangled kingdom, be kept alive) an old man or a young girl perish for
want?
And yet it is not overstating the situation to say that your refusal to
aid may mean such a tragedy for at least one person.
There are so many selfish and thoughtless among us?so many who
won't or who can't be reached, that every man convinced of Belgium's
necessities must not only do all that lies within his power, but constitute
himself a campai-gner and appeal to his friend and acquaintance to do
their best for the cause.
CLOTH MUST BE SENT TO MAKE WOMEN'S DRESSES.
CLOTH MUST BE SENT TO MAKE CHILDREN'S CLOTHES.
CLOTH MUST BE SENT TO MAKE MEN'S SUITS.
Here are people who can't help
themselves; here is a land in which
every family shares the heaviest
cross that history knows.
Clothe them?a little bit from every
little purse!
Three millions of voices are sob?
bing for aid?three millions of out?
cast old men and women and
mothers of children are turning their
faces to America in anguish.
Can't your soul hear the call from
the Kingdom of Grief?
GIVE?In God's name, and?
GIVE N(JW.
Checks or money ordere may be sent to
Wm. C. Potter, Treasurer, Guaranty Trust
Company. The following banks have
agreed for convenience of contributors to
accept checks or money orders (Payable to
Wm. C. Potter) :?Corn Exchange Bank and
branches, Guaranty Trust Company, Autor
Trust Company, American Exchange Na?
tional Bank, Chase National Bank, Me?
chanics and Metals National Bank, Mutual
Bank.
Greater New York Committee of the Com?
mission for Relief in Belgium.
SAMUEL W. FAIRCHILD, Chairman.
WM. C. POTTER, Treasurer.
J. F. BRESNAHAN, Secretary,
Equitable Building, New York.