The Book of History, Vol. 14: The World's Greatest War, From the Outbreak of the War to the Treaty of Versailles (Classic Reprint) - Softcover

Excerpt from The Book of History, Vol. 14: The World's Greatest War, From the Outbreak of the War to the Treaty of Versailles

Many American missions and commissions went to Europe during the war on many various errands. Most of them were formed after America had broken with Germany, but a very important one began its work within three months after the Great War began. This was the Commission for Relief in Belgium, commonly referred to by its members and the Belgians as the C.R.B. Its existence as an organization and its work began in October, 1914, and continued until the signing of the treaty of peace in the summer of 1919. In that period of four and a half years of active effort it collected by donation and purchase and transported overseas and through Holland into Belgium and North France nearly five million tons of foodstuffs and clothing of a value of about seven hundred million dollars.

The American Commission For Relief In Belgium.

For the proper protection and equitable distribution of these supplies inside the German-occupied territories of Belgium and North France, the C.R.B. was solely responsible from November, 1914 until April, 1917, at which time America entered the war and Americans were no longer allowed to remain. This responsibility then devolved upon a joint Dutch-Spanish Commission, although all of the handling of funds, and the purchase and transportation of the supplies, both overseas and through Holland up to the Belgian border, were still carried on by the American Commission.

The actual detailed distribution of the supplies to the nearly ten million shut-in people was effected under the constant supervision of the American volunteers of the C.R.B. by about thirty-five thousand French and Belgian relief workers, thoroughly organized into national, provincial, and local committees. The American volunteers within the occupied territories were never more than forty-five at any one time - the German military authorities made constant objection to having more than twenty-five or thirty but about two hundred were used altogether during the period of the Commissions work.

Only One-Sixth Of The Belgian Population Agricultural.

What made the relief of Belgium necessary, and necessary so soon after the beginning of the war? Belgium is not, as the United States is, self-sustaining as to food.

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