Show j I 1 All t WHITLOCK K ENVOY NV JT TO BELGIUM M American Relief Work W Workers ork- ork U Efforts Efe Efforts Ef Ef- Ef- Ef ers ers e rs Also Give Up P forts in in T Territory Oci Occupied Oc Oc- cup 4 i e. e q dby by the Germans Germans' By Associated Press ASHINGTON March 24 WASHINGTON American relief workers in Belgium and American Minister Brand Whitlock have been formally formally formally for for- mally withdrawn from Belgium Official announcement to this effect Hect was wa made at the thc state department this morning Secretary tar I JAnsi Lansing at the direction o of at President Wilson sent ent a note to The fht Netherlands accepting its offer otter to take takeover takeover over o the work of or the commission The Tho action of or the president in orderIng ordering order order- In ing the Americans out was based ed on the tho belief helle that nothing was to be gained b by keeping Americans longer long in territory occupied by German troops in Belgium and northern France Fl It is desired for humanitarian reasons that tho the work of ot the commission be bo continued continued con con- and the go government nl of or The Netherlands has haJJ been naked asked to communicate communicate com com- with the commissions commission's Rotterdam Rotterdam Rot Rot- office to take tako over the tho work and determine how many Dutch citizens citi zens ens will be needed for lor It it ENDS GREAT WORK Arrangements for tor the return to the United States of ot many of or the Americans Americans Americans Ameri Ameri- cans now are being made mado by tho the state department Withdrawal of ot the tho workers worker workers work work- er ers ends American administration of or the tile greatest Ki work o of relief and charity in history Founded Inspired and made efficient b by Americans th the Belgian re relief ro ro- lief lIer commission has haM kept from starvation starvation stana tion nine million people in Belgium and another million In northern France I ance Th Tho United States will henceforth bo he able to continue participation in the work only onh by financial contributions Chairman Herbert C. C Hoover Hoo on leaving leaving leav lea ing New W York for Europe Europa recently said that Americas America's work of ot supplying the means of or relief relict had only Just begun The withdrawal has ben been inevitable since the of or diplomatic relations rela rela- with Germany Soon after that tho the German Gennan military authorities or ordered ordered or- or dered all aU Americans J to with withdraw with tho the exception of or Brand Whitlock and three others who were restricted to Brussels The commission realized Imme Immediately immediately Im Im- me mediately that the British would not allow supplies to pa pass s the blockade Into Belgium without adequate guarantees and the they felt that the tho Germans were simply making an effort to throw tho the onus of or discontinuing tho the work upon the British ORDERED TO LEAVE Tho The commission immediately replied by ordering all of ot lt Its men to leave leavo Belgium Evidently E Germany had not expected such drastic dr action and the commission lon was asked to retract Its order with the explanation that tho the original German Gennan order had b been en given out by a 0 subordinate without authority Tho The men were ordered to remain but none had the slightest hope that It would be lip more moro than thim temporary About forty five Americans in B Belgium Belgium Bel Bel- I- I gium ium and northern l France rance are affected by hy tho new order ol |