The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-07
Johnny Hayes. Marathon Champion.
says
Do not smoke cigarettes u you
wish to become an athlete.

II Is not possible TO e%xaggerate the
wonderful change that has taken place
In the lives Of these children. Father
Syoen expressed II simply.
Last March," he said. many OF my
parishioners, F1emings who have set
tied In Detroit. laborers most OF them.
but all independent and making their
way. appealed TO me to 60 to Belgium
and rescue their children. They were
not even sure where the children could
be found. All they could say was where
they had been left. ! mad up a list
OF about $50 that ! was to try to locate
and bring back here. when I reached
the German line in northern France
my troubles began. ! was referred first
to one official and then another. until
finally at Coblentx my errand was SIM
pliied and ! was permitted to go int
Belgium and search where ] pleased.
Most Of the addresses I had were in
the Flanders war zone between Newport
and Ypres. I visited village after viii
lage. SOM had been utterly destroyed
and all OF the Inhabitants had been
driven northward OF eastward. But
In most cases I was able to trace
the refugees and find them with
=" "ttAh ta'it
Some OF these children that lit
tie girl there and her brother removed
from a cellar where they had been liv-
ing for months, with bombardments 60
ing on almost necessarily. But they
were too u to understand the hor-
ror OF IL all.
II must say tina I have no complaint
to make as regards my treatment by
the Germans. They did What they could
70 fariIfatA ynx xnArk Mo pQasnnTtA
were vised with courtesy usually. al
though ! found much red tape had to
be unwound. Eventually ] gathered my
children together. along with such adults
as the Germans would permit to leave
the country. and got them all to Rotter-
dam and aboard the Ryndam. The rest
has been easy. although ! fear I have
gained a few gray hairs from watch
ing 30 many little folk.
Better Conditions In Belgium.
Conditions in Belgium are much bet
ter thar they were. can say that
thank TO the American relief work
there Is now no starvation In Belgium.
The Germans are honestly distributing
the food supplies received from America.
More. they are paying for what they
themselves use. Most Belgian farmers
are again filling their fields, and their
crops nave been good.
my own people have been ruined by
the war. ! came from a little village
within a short walk OF Dixmude. and
there ! saw a sister with four children
clinging to a ruined home. She would
not leave. I have a brother with ten
children who lives In a village on the
User. He Is staying there despite the
danger. Belgians hate to give up their
homes.
II heard that the Belgian army. now
holding twenty-eight kilometers OF the
front. or half as much as the British are
when the war began. That IL hard to
believe. but It IL what ! was told in
Flanders. Hundreds Of men. at the risk
OF detection and death. are constantly
slipping out of Brussels and other cities
and reaching the front by roundabout
ways"
Just before the train left the Lehigh
Valley station al 9 O'Clock Father Syoen
and two aids arrived at the depot with
baskets of provisions-bread. butter.
bottles OF milk. cheese. ham sandwiches
which were to be eaten on the train.
And as the train moved out Of the
station one glanced along the line Of
coaches and smiled farewell to Made
! leine and Martha and Emile and Victor
and felt a very real pleasure. indeed.
! at the frank happiness of the little peo-
pie who smiled back In such friendly
fashion and who waved their pudgy
fats On iphth ea rtedly.