New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-20
Mutilated, Dumb
Children in Wake
Of Teuton Retreat
Little Survivors in French
Villages Present Picture
Of Wars Savagery
.corrs.ponaeuc. o., he Associated Frs.sl


Behind the British Lines in France,
June 1.-The French children found IN
the villages Of Northern France evacu-
ated by the Germans under pressure OF
the British and French ofensives pre-
sent picture of the savagery OF mod
ern warfare as characteristic as the
Somme forest, shattered and broken by
months Of she'll Ere.
Many Of these children are orphans,
without home or relatives. Many have
been grievously wounded. Most OF
them suffer from a peculiar species OF
she'll shock, which affiicts them gen
orally with a sort Of tremor not unlike
St. Vitus's dance.
They have had life and death. hor-
rors human and inhuman. revealed 10
them in guises so terrible that they
never will be normal again. All are
underfed and frail from confinement
in cellars. Cut off suddenly from rela-
tives and friends, perhaps two years
ago or more. they have continued TO
live within a few hundred yards Of
the front lines. listening always TO
ne thud Of shells and the crash OF
explosives, until their idea of heaven
is "a place that is very quiet.
Shepherded BY Entente Troops
The condition of peasant men and
women who have been living under the
shadow of the invader through these
long months and years has been bad
enough. but the condition Of the half
starved wounded. mentally deranged
little children has been far worse.
After the German retreat all the chill
dren were collected and shepherded by
the first Entente troops that reached
the newly occupied areas.
Everything that can be done TO cure
and care for them is now being done,
constituting one OF the most lmpor-
, tant immediate tasks of the French
committees on reconstruction. The
FIRST step was 20 remove them well be-
hind the front areas. These who were
orphans were taken far away from the
sight and sound of shells. many Of
them 10 the south Of France. The
mildest cases were there put under the
care Of farm mothers. The more serl-
Gus cases must, OF course. Dt Kept IN
der close medical supervision in Spe-
cial institutions.
One French organization has a hos
ptal with 400 child patients, all under
twelve years Most Of them are
wounded. Some have lost legs or
arms. others their sight; others are
suffering from brain fever or puz-
ling anama under which they rapidly
waste away.
Victims of Ruthlessless"
"They are the victims Of the ruth
lessness of modern warfare" said the
head Of the hospital. French woman
wearing the uniform of the French Red
Cross. There is no better argument
against war than 20 see these mutilat-
ed little victims. who never will play
or enjoy life as other children do.
They are mere shadows Of childhood.
IL is difficult to make them talk, and
they tremble and start at any noise or
sudden movement"
One patient. fve-year-old boy. who
had been made dumb by she'll shock,
showed TO improvement until after he
had been I'm the hospital for seven
weeks. Then one day he opened his
eyes after n long sleep and said 70
the nurse with a twisted smile: ut Is
-very-quiet here; I-like-it."