16 JANUARY 1915, Page 15

FRIENDS' WAR VICTIMS COMMITTEE. [To me Emma or TIM "SPECTATOR:1

Sis,—We think it may interest your readers to hear of the work of the Friends' War Victims Relief Committee, which is striving to bring tokens of sympathy from our more favoured country to those which have been so sorely stricken. Little or nothing can permeate to Belgium no far, but to the refugees in Holland twenty-three bales of clothing have already been sent, and further schemes are on foot for helping their sorry plight ; while in France about fifty workers are already alleviating distress. They have established a Maternity Hospital for Refugees at Chfilons.ear-hlarne, with a sort of creche for the elder children, and they have given clothes to between fourteen and fifteeen hundred needy refugees in the district Even Soissons, although still under fire, has been reached by one party with supplies of clothes. At other villages in the districts of Esternay, Vitry-le-Francois, and Fere.Champenoise simple reconstructive work is being done, in some oases by repairing outhouses and the like, to form some sort of habitation, in others by building simple wooden huts.

For these the French authorities provide free materials. They also grant free petrol for the cars necessary for trans- porting the materials; and the Comite du Seeours National have made a grant for the maintenance of the party, thus showing their appreciation of the work in hand. To a great extent they are unable to set about it themselves, owing to their energies and resources being so entirely sapped by the war. There are indications of the probable great expansion of the work, and we would appeal to all those who long to bring help to the homeless, to assist us. Donations may be sent to Isaac Sharp, 136 Bishopsgate, E.C. ; warm clothes to Dennis Milner, 22 New Street Square, E.C.; and all inquiries

may be addressed to the office. The office will shortly be moved to 104 Ethelbnrga House, 91 Bishopsgate, E.0.—We January 121h.