The Washington times., 1917-12-14
HOW RED CROSS
GUARDS BABIES IN
WAR TORN FRANCE
BY w. 3. FORREST
Manager Paris OnIee, ,>UaIts


TOUL, France, Dec. 14.-Salvag.
ing the shattered nerves and little
bodies OF French children rescued lit
orally from the mouths of the enemy
cannon was part OF the mammoth
Red Cross work in France. witnessed
by the United Press here today.
II American mothers could see how
their hard American dollars are being
spent among the war battered chill
dren OF France they would doubly
subscribe ct the very next opportun-
ity. This is the frst account writ
ten and sent to America OF how these
American dollars are pulling French
babies out OF a living hell and filling
their impressionistic little minds
with something better to think about
than constant fear. pinching hunger
and a life among vermin and Nth.
More than 500 OF these French
babies are today safely out of reach
OF the German shells which for three
years have been blowing and p;Il-
verizing the villages and towns
where they lived. Their ages run
from two to ten years. The great
est number are yet toddlers who have
known nothing during their lives but
living in the cellars and caves where
there was some degree of safety
from the shells the enemy malicious
ly threw into their vicinity.
Guarded Against Gas.
When the Germans began to throw
gas shells into these villages, the
French authorities realized that the
- -
to safety. So those too young to
adjust gas masks to their faces were
sent to the rear near Toul where
buildings were prepared for their re-
ception.
Here the American Red Cross Of
fered its aid. A cablegram was sent
from Paris to Minneapolis where it
found DR.. Julius Parker Sedgwick.
the best known specialist on chill
dren's diseases in the Northwest. DR..
Sedgwick agreed to give up his work
and come to France to care for
French children.
His acceptance preceded only by
few hours a long-distance telephone
conversation with DR.. ]. 1. Durand
at Seattle, also a leading children's
specialist. He agreed in a few hours
to give up his extensive practice and
leave for France. Also from Mime
apolis came DIR. n. o. Pearce. asso-
ciated with DR.. sedEwick. As the
trio Travelled toward France they
were Joined at Chicago by DR.. Alice
Brown, Of Winnetka. Accompanying
them came experienced nurses among
whom were Mrs. Delebeque. OF Win
netka. and Miss Bessie Spanner, East
SiXtieth street, Cleveland.
Nurse War Babies.
Headed by DIR. Sedgwick. these
American doctors and nurses are
fathering and mothering the French
babies here today, and will continue
to do so throughout the war.
No type OF child disease bred in
these dark. unsanitary, vermin-rid-
den, shell-torn, bathless caves a few
miles away from the present camp
under the German shells and gas has
yet been too much for the American
doctors ana nurses. Every child SO
far brought to the camp is alive to-
day and happy, thanks to mothers in
America. For IL is only dollars sub
scribed by American mothers them
selves that are being spent on the
baby war victims Dollars from cor
poration men and other masculine
sources are being spent for other
things.
The only worry OF the French moth
ers still back in the caves. undergo
ing the German shells and the gas,
Is that a German aeroplane might
come along and bomb the baby hos
pital, DR.. Sedgwick told the United
Press today. Otherwise they are con.
tent to take their lot until the end OF
the war. Their babies are safe.