WEEK OF CANVASSING FOR HOOVER DRIVE BEGINS TODAY

Massachusetis State Chairman, European Relief Council.

In the fall of 1914 an American mining engineer, a man about forty years of age, began the serious business of saving lives, or, to express it in another way, of preventing deaths from starvation. Is there in our history a brighter page than that on which is recorded the accomplishments of the Commission for Relief in Belgium? This engineer who conceived that Relief Commission and was its luminous head throughout the Great War has continued since the armistice in the same serious business of saving lives, of preventing death from starvation, making an uninterrupted service of six long years for his fellowmen.

Mr. Hoover now appeals to the American people to save from starvation 3,500,000 innocent children in Europe, born into war and in no way responsible for the distressful conditions which surround their childhood. The lives of these 3,500,000 undernourished children now depend upon America until the next harvest. We can save them or we can let them die. The American conscience will not permit the closing of the door to this great mass of hungry children; it is a service the American people cannot refuse.

And now Harvard, as usual, is to do her part. Every Harvard man will ask himself the question: "Is a child's life worth $10?". There is no doubt about the answer.

You have all seen the Harvard-Stadium packed with humanity at a Harvard-Yale or Harvard-Princeton football game--40,000 joyful men and women--a vast, impressive crowd. Can you picture eighty-seven Harvard Stadiums, stretching from Cambridge to Boston, or beyond, filled to capacity with hungry, independent little children? 3,500,000 children, Mr. Hoover says, face starvation, and he knows. Eighty-seven stadiums filled with joyless little souls! What are we going to do about it?

The response of America to Mr. Hoover's appeal must now decide whether these 3,500,000 children in acute distress shall be turned away from more than 17,000 feeding stations, hospitals, and clinics, dependent on American support. There would be no tragedy in history so sweeping or so destructive of those who can deserve no evil.

$23,000,000 of the desired $33,000,000 are needed for child food and some clothing, and $10,000,000 for medical supplies. Under the leadership of Mr. Hoover, the European Relief Council has been organized, comprising the following eight Relief Organizations:

American Relief Administration.

American Red Cross.

American Friends Service Committee (Quakers).

Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.

Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America.

Knights of Columbus.

Y. M. C. A.

Y. W. C. A.

These organizations are giving complete priority in their efforts to the raising of this Fund. Every possible assistance is needed if the campaign is to be brought to a successful conclusion. Over one-third of the Fund has been raised, and Massachusetts has done its share to date by contributing $600,000. Our goal for Massachusetts is a minimum of $1,000,000. We still have a long way to go. Remember, every $10 saves the life of a child. Let Harvard once more take the lead among colleges in this great effort