ed in. Jack bobbed up yesterday at noon. The car
had been stopped at the frontier because several of the passengers had
not proper papers. Jack threw out his chest and insisted on being taken
to Antwerp to see the Military Governor. His passport, as bearer of
despatches, did the business, and they were allowed to proceed under
armed guard. They were kept overnight in the Hotel Webber, and then Jack
and Mme. N---- were allowed to come on to Brussels in the car, while the
others were detained.

Marshal Langhorne came in to-day from The Hague to effect formal
delivery of the first bargeload of food, and had weird tales to tell of
his adventures by the way. Thank goodness, the first of the food has
arrived in time, and if the flow can be kept up, the worst of our
troubles will be averted.

With this first consignment of food came the story of how it was got
through in such record time. Hoover is one of these people who is
inclined to get things done and attend later to such details as getting
formal permission, etc.

With Shaler's forty thousand pounds and promises of five hundred
thousand dollars more, he went to work and placed orders for twenty
thousand tons of food, costing two million dollars a week. This he did
on the theory that money would come along later, when the need was
realised, but that the Belgian stomachs would not wait until collections
had been made. He purchased the food, got it transported to the docks,
and loaded on vessels that he had contrived to charter, while all the
world was fighting for tonnage, got them loaded and the hatches closed.

When everything was ready, Hoover went to the proper authority and asked
for permission to ship the food, announcing that unless he could get
four shiploads of food into Belgium by the end of the week, the people
would begin to starve. The functionary was sympathetic, but regretted
that in the circumstances, he could not help. It was out of the question
to purchase food. The railways were choked with troops, munitions and
supplies. Ships were not to be had for love or money. And above all, the
Channel was closed to commerce.

Hoover heard him patiently to the end.

"I have attended to all this," he said. "The ships are already loaded
and ready to sail. All I need from you is clearance papers. You can let
me have them, and everything will be all right."

The high official could hardly believe his ears:

"Young man," he gasped, "perhaps you don't realise wh