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Show BABES NEED FOOD. The appeal of Herbert C. Hoover, chairman of the commission for relief in Belgium, for help for the little ones of the war-torn country, has been seconded sec-onded by Pope Benedict, who has subscribed sub-scribed 10,000 lire to the fund. In a letter to Cardinal Gibbons, the head of the Roman Catholic church calls attention at-tention to the horrors for which tho European war is responsible and makes a plea for the babes of Belgium who are perishing for lack of nourishment. The message of the popo has been transmitted to the bishops and it is proposed to take up collections in each bishopric throughout the United States. The people of this country have responded re-sponded to every appeal made in behalf be-half of the Belgians and the cries of the children in the present instance will not fall upon deaf ears. Creeds do not divide the people in this noble work of charity. Catholics, Protestants, Protes-tants, Jews and those who make no profession of religion are actuated by a common impulse to do something for suffering humanity. There have "been many calls upon the purses of Americans Ameri-cans since the unhappy struggle in Europe Eu-rope began, but there is no other country coun-try in the world to which the afflicted war victims may turn with hope of success. suc-cess. This is the third winter of the struggle and from the very beginning of hostilities Belgium has been conquered con-quered territory. Many of its cities have been reduced to ruins, its industrial indus-trial enterprises ruined and its carefully care-fully tilled fields laid 'waste. To add to the horrors of the situation the able-bodied able-bodied men are being deported to Germany Ger-many to work in the munitions factories fac-tories of the kaiser while their children are left to starve. The appeals made by chairman Hoo-; ver and Pope Benedict come upon the eve of the Christmas holidays, when the people of the United States are preparing pre-paring for the usual festivities of the yuletide season. Our own little ones will revel in gifts and good things to eat. May we not hope that before the chimes ring for Christmas a sufficient suf-ficient fund will be in possession of Chairman Hoover and his helpers to enable en-able them to feed aud clothe the children chil-dren of Belgium in this darkest hour of the Christian era? |