Representatives of American railroad and industrial interests are in
Europe endeavoring to induce emigration from Belgium to the United
States, but it is doubtful if these efforts will meet with any success.
There are in the United States to-day only two Belgian settlements, one
of about 1000 people in Montana and one of about 1500 in western New
York. The Belgian loves his land and sits by his home though it be in
ruins. The history of the land of the Belgians shows that, as the
cockpit of Europe, it was the battle-ground of centuries; yet her
people are more immobile than those of any other country in Europe.
Earthquakes do not make sunny Italy or golden California less
attractive to their inhabitants.

About $20,000,000 (more than 10 per cent of this came from Belgian
people) has been raised to feed starving Belgians, and $20,000,000 more
should be forthcoming.

The English war office objected at first to the American proposals for
food supplies to the little country. It was held to be the duty of the
invading Germans to feed the population of the conquered country, as
the Germans had appropriated large stores of supplies that were in
Belgium, notably at Antwerp.

England finally assented to the proposal, as well she might, for
Belgium would starve without food from the outside, irrespective of war
losses. In normal times, she imports 240,000 tons of food every month.
She also imports most of her raw supplies for manufacturing. Belgium
is, therefore, to-day without food, or raw materials for her
industries, and probably without outlet had her industries the ability
to produce. Although about fifty ships are bringing food to Belgium,
they are of small capacity and in the aggregate represent less than one