The sun., 1916-02-14
BELGIANS IN HOLLAND
CAMPS SUFFER MISERY
Dutch Who Are Doing Their Best, Are Unable to Care
for the Thousands of Refugees Salvation Army
Shows Activity and Gets Results.

poor. destitute sufferers and do some-
thing
The Society Of Friends in London
have done and are doing a great work
among the interned refugee civilians at
Gonda They have established indus
tries The women and children are en-
gagged in the work OF manufacturing
slippers and garments. The men who
can handle a hammer and saw are put
to work building cottages. These make
fine little homes to which families are
taken. located within the confines Of
the camp. II tx good work. but slow
While many families have been taken to
these improvsed homes by the aid OF the
Friends the great bulk. numbering tens
upon tens of thousands. are still hcrded
IN stalls unfit for ANIMALS. We are not
finding fault. il was the best that could
be- done under the circumstances. as
these multitudes were per,shiny by the
roadside until the Government made
these arrangements.
Camp Conditions Had.
"a person cannot pass through these
civilian camps without being over
whclncd at the conditions in which these
people live. The Gonda camp ls situated
In a large huthouse located In the mud
between two canals. II is fpt.i and un.
sanitary. There Is no privacy. Hun
dreds of men, women and children of all
ages are compelled to sleep on large
platforms. with no springs. on hard floors
with few coverings. Pieces OF cardboard
separate families. The children are un-
washed and 60 about with sores IN their
eyes and on their bodies and contagion
has been the result. The social Condi-
lions. in the eyes Of many. will do more
harm To- IN" future race than the devas-
tation Of their homes by shot and shell
The Salvation Army is trying to
solve this problem but needs funds. n
each family could own one Of these
bungalows. which are detachable. Il
would be a Blessing They cost some
thrg like $3.50 each. When the war H.
ended they viii be taken down and
shipped to the occupants native town in
Belgium and erected for their future
homes. In these homes hope takes the
place ~ despair
There are fully 100 600 Relgians scat
tered throughou, Holland Many. IN fact
thousands, have been transf, rr-t to Eng
land In England work is found for
them In the fields and factories. In
fact many English towns are being col.
onized TO such an extent that the Rel.
rians are outnurbering the Eng ish hu,
the plan H. Ia return all 10 he gum after
the war.
The detention camps are divided 30.
part for soldiers. numbering over 30 900
mainly AT IeiSt and HarderwiJk. and
part for civilians and families located az
iuuda. Nurspect Ed tdcn and other
points. numbering 10000. The conditions
for civilians are dcplorahle. while the
soldiers fare well and seem to be healthy
and happy.
while the soldiers are being We.
cared for ther. comes another aspect
which j. sad indeed. The towns and
villages surrounding the in,.rned Bel.
rian soldier CAMPS are crowded with
thousands OF women and children for
whom little or no provision has heen
made. Most OF these ar. Of IN. re-
spectacle class and suffer more as their
prid" keeps their wants unknown. I
know tins for have visited them in
their home and administered in small
way to Their needs"