Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-03-30
EXTOL u. S. FOR
WAR-BLTND AID
Heads of French Institutions
Laud A. B. F. B. Fund For
Generous Gifts

generosity is strikingly shown in let
ters received during the last few days
by the A. B. f. B. Permanent Blind
Relief War Fund.
The letters come from the executive
heads of seven French institutions for
blinded soldiers and sailors. The A.
B. f. B. fund distributed $4,000 for
immediate relief among the seven in
stitutions, following a meeting of it's
executive committee on January 8, at
which 1t was voted to send $150,000
to France. The 100000 remaining is
now on deposit in the Bank of France.
1t will form the basis of permanent
endowment of 100000 for the
Allies war blind.
The recently received letters are ad-
dressed to Eugene Brieux, the French
Academician, who is chairman of the
A. b. F. B. funds French committee.
They were forwarded to the New
York headquarters of the fund, $50
yesterday (Saturday) by Mrs. George
A. Kessler, one of the funds honorary
secretaries
An impressive feature of all the let
terS is the unmiStakable evidence they
contain of the need of an efficiency
financed and managed organization, of
nationwide scope, in France, to pro-
vide the many blinded men with per-
manent adequately paying work, after
they have been trained at the score
of already established training schools.
The letters are signed by:
Cd Monsieur G. Roblemaitre. pres
ident of the Valentin Huay Associa-
ton at 8 Rue Duroc, Paris. The A.
B. Il. b. fund allotted $4,000 to this
institution, which, however, really
needs $4,000 a year to give a six
months training at practical paying
trades to one hundred blinded SOL
diers at time. After this six months
training, the institution provides the
blinded men with tools, materials and
work at their own homes, furnishes
school education to their children, etc.
(21 Madame e. Levy Dhurmer,
general secretary of the blind Soldiers
Foyer, Ga Rue de Rocher, Paris. The
A. B. F. 3. fund apportioned $4,000
to this institution, which has been au-
thorized by the French government
to collect and distribute sums of
money so that the blind soldiers may
be kept from want in their own homes
until they can support themselves at
practical paying blind-trades.
NoJ monsieur IL. NalleEy GdQOI,
president of the Friends of Blind Sol
diers at 1870 Avenue Daumesnil, Yer
sailles. The A. 3. f. 3. fund allotted
$4,000 to this institution, the pur-
pose of which is to aid and support
blind soldiers, after they have been
trained, until they may become self
supporting.
60 Madame L. Poisson, vice presi-
dent of the Central Office of Charities.
Do De- 10
A. b. It. B. fund allotted $4,000 to this
institution, which is authorized by the
French government to make loans to
blind soldiers who have been trained
at blind-trade, but who are not yet
self-supporting.
(5) Monsieur L. v. Morel, president
of the Society for Workshops for the
Blind, 9 Rue de L'Echelle, Paris. The
A. B. r. B. fund apportioned $4,000
to this institution which provides the
blinded soldiers with practical paying
work in its own shops.
CO. Madame Martha Brandes, head
of the-Blind Soldiers Shelter to which
the A. b. F. b. fund recently sent
$1,000. This shelter" actually sup
ports number of helpless and maim-
ed blind soldiers under its own roof.
CD Monsieur Henry Guedy, gen.
eral secretary of the Help for the
Wars Blind, at 2 Rue Balzac, Paris,
to which the A. B. f. b. fund recently
sent $400.
The above sums were allotted to
these institutions. after thorough in
vestigation by the A. B. f. b. fund S
French committee, consisting of
Eugene Brieux, president of the
French Governments Committee for
the Blind; ex-Premier Louis Barthou;
General Florentin, Grand Chancellor
of the Legion of Honor; David Men
net, president of the Paris Chamber
of Commerce; NJ. Morel, Governor of
the Credit F'oncier of France; DR..
Valude, head physician of "Quinze-
Vingts" hospital, and NJ Schneider,
proprietor of LIE Creusot.
Grateful Spirit
Typical of the grateful spirit of all
the letters from the heads of the
seven French blind institutions, is the
communication of NJ. Roblemaitre,
president of the Association Valentin
Hauy.
Express our deep gratitude to the
New York committee" Monsieur
Roblemaitre writes. THE generous
gift will be used at once to aid the
most urgent cases. Since the begin
ming of this terrible war, the United
States has given us innumerable eVi-
dences of its long-standlng friendship
Americans have not forgotten enc
services wn1Cn we renOere0 Jnem
when they fought for independence a
hundred years ago.
II send you the receipt for 100, 900
francs Pemitted to our organization,
writes Monsieur r. Vallery Radot,
head of the Friends of Blind Soldiers
Society. This large sum will shortly
be devoted to giving aid and support
to many blind soldiers in organizing
their work, practicing their trades and
furnishing necessities for their own
and their families lives"
Convey to the, Permanent Blind
Relief War fund my very deep graft
tude for it's noble generosity" writes
Madame Martha Brandes. founder
and president of the Blind Soldiers
Shelter. Thanks to this generosity,
we can now give much more aid to
those who have given so much for
US"
"Our directors instruct me to ex-
I ~. ~ l.. n \. -..N-