clothes in which they stood. Children were separated from their parents and 

 husbands from their wives. These people were kept at various concentration camps 

 in Germany in the most miserable condition, without additional clothing being 

 furnished to them and with scarcely food enough to keep them alive. 



After a time large numbers of them were sent back to France via Switzerland in an 

 absolutely destitute condition. The Swiss people were most generous in contributing 

 clothing and money. Two and a quarter million French inhabitants still remain in 

 the territory of the North and East occupied by the Germans. 



Money and clothing are given to those who have fled from the devastated districts. 

 Agents visit the war zone to prevent black misery for those who have been unable to 

 escape from the scene of conflict and are forced to remain near their ruined homes. 



No request has come for aid from the French people. This organization is entirely 

 voluntary and aims to be a tangible expression of Canadian appreciation for the heroic 

 conduct of our great ally. 



While much has been done by the French Government and by the French people 

 for their fellow countrymen the need for relief in money and in supplies of clothing is 

 great and will continue during the war, and while the contributions which have been 

 made by the people in the United States and Canada have undoubtedly been large, such 

 contributions are small in proportion to the amounts contributed by the French people 

 themselves. 



The "Secours National" has received in donation of money the sum of 10,500,000f. 

 Of this amount the French people have given about nine-tenths, or 9,000,000f.; there 

 has been received from the United States about 400,000f. and from Canada about 

 350,000. England, Spain and other countries have also contributed. Most of the 

 donations of clothing have come from the United States and Canada. 



- The Ontario Branch at its annual meeting held in Toronto on February 29th, 

 reported the following contributions: 



Cash to February 11th $22,405.00 



Estimated value of goods actually despatched, including clothing, hospital 



supplies, and twelve motor cars 74,011.00 



Total $96,416.00 



t 



POLAND 



Devastated Poland has no less than 1,500,000 refugees, mostly Jews, who have 

 endured all the innumerable miseries of war. Over 120 Jewish Relief Boards are opera- 

 ting to-day in Russia with the authority and sympathy of the Russian Government, 

 and their needs, merely for feeding the impoverished Polish Jews, are fully $3,000,000 

 a month. Without immediate help many thousands of men, women and children will 

 go to certain death by exposure, pestilence and starvation. It is the tragedy of the 

 centuries. Any of the members of the Committee will thankfully receive contributions. 

 An appeal to the Jews of the British Empire for the help of their brothers has been 

 made by Lord Swaythling and Leopold de Rothschild, C.V.O., and the Jewish colony 

 of Toronto has opened a fund. The committee consists of Rabbi S. Jacobs, Jacob 

 Cohen, J.P., Leo Frankel, Harry Samuel (of M. & L. Samuel, Benjamin & Co.), and 

 Edmund Scheuer. 



"An area three times larger than Belgium is entirely laid waste. Cities and towns 

 have been destroyed, and thousands of villages burned down. All horses and cattle 

 have been taken. There is no corn; no potatoes are left. There are millions of sufferers, 

 mostly homeless, all lacking food." — Paderewski. 



225 



