U.S. AID FLOWS
TO DUTCH HERE
The Dutch Say Thank You
TIMES-HERALD
F£B?
M
Embassy 'Overwhelmed'
By Flood Gifts
[Times-Herald Staff Photo]
Miss S. A. Beels, secretary of the Netherlands embassy, thanks
Alan Bowman, 10, for helping his mother, Mrs. Camilla Bowman,
deliver flood-relief clothing contributed by Silver Spring residents.
The Bowmans live at 804 Wayne Ave., Silver Spring.
Officials of the Netherlands em
bassy here were "overwhelmed"
yesterday by the spontaneous and
open-hearted way in which Ameri
cans everywhere have rushed to
the aid of the flood-devastated
residents of the little lowland
country.
Donations of blankets, clothing,
money, and even old-fashioned
moral support brought a grateful
response from Ambassador Dr. J.
H. van Roijen. His second secre
tary, Jonkheer L. Quarles van
Ufford, said he stayed up most of
Wednesday night accepting calls
from all parts of the country, and
that he's never less regretted
missing a night's sleep.
Van Ufford, who is in charge of
accepting flood relief help, said
such a tremendous amount of
clothing has been donated that
Netherlands officials have cabled
the embassy that no more is
needed for the present. But shoes,
suits, dresses, coats and blankets
still are piling up at half a dozen
collection places here and in
many other spots across the
country.
The biggest immediate need, the
secretary said, is financial help.
He reported donations are rolling
in by telegraf and mail, and that
he received about 150 letters bear
ing donations yesterday. Also ac
cepting financial contributions
here is a committee of the Wash
ington chapter of the Netherlands-
American Foundation, headed by
Mrs. Robert G. Ervin.,
Kansans Adopt Town
Van Ufford said the little
Kansas town of Hays has hit upon
"really the most useful plan and
the best way to help out." Thru
arrangements made by Sen. Carl
son (R) of Kansas, the town has
"adopted" Zierikzee, a Dutch town
of about 8,000 which was "very
badly damaged" by the flood
waters which already have cost
more than 1,300 lives in Holland.
Residents of Hays await word from
Zierikzee on what it needs most
for its rehabilitation.
Citizens of Ottawa, Kas., also
have offered to adopt a Dutch
town, the embassy reported, add
ing that offer has been forwarded
to The Hague for action by offi
cials there.
Meanwhile, tons of clothing are
piling up here. Van Ufford said
about a ton of it was collected at
the embassy yesterday. It will be
packaged and sent to the consul
general in New York.
Other donations are being ac
cepted by just plain citizens like
Mrs. Camilla Bowman, of 804
Wayne Ave., Silver Spring. She
began to fret about the plight of
the lowlanders and called on Sil
ver Spring radio station WGAY to
ask people to bring clothing and.
blankets to her home. Late yester
day Mrs. Bowman's living room,!
front hall and front porch were
filled with useful items, and she
was ready to call it quits.
"I had no idea it would end like
this," she said. "Why I haven't
even had time to get a cup of cof
fee."
Van Ufford said offers of aid
have come to the embassy from
residents of such distant points
as Jacksonville and Tampa, Fla.,
San Francisco, and Maine. He
said the embassy switchboard
averaged about one call per min
ute yesterdayall from Ameri
cans wanting to help.
Winslow Van Devanter, treas
urer of the Netherlands-America
Foundation, said his group has
started to receive donations. Al-
tho the drive is a local one at
present, he said he expects the
organization soon will sponsor a
national relief campaign.
