The Washington times., 1917-09-25

IN aQQltlOn 10 those articles lne IN
babitants Of the commune on the day
of our visit also each received a
small quantity OF carrot seed to
plant in the small plot of ground
which each inhabItant was permitted
to retain ont of his own land by the
German authorities.
The unfortunate persons who re-
ceived this allowance looked very
poor and very hungry and very
miserable. Many of them spoke to
me, not only here, but in Charleville,
and expressed their gratitude to the
American people for what was being
done for them. Those in Charleville
said that; they lad heard that l was
in their TOW because Of trouble pend
ing between America and Germany
They said they hoped that there
would be no war between the two
countries, because if war came they
did not know what would become OF
them, and that, in the confusion of
war, they would surely be left to
starve.
Barred From Streets.
In Charleville notices were posted
directing the inhabitants not to go
o'clock in the evening, and also no
tees informing the population that
they would be allowed a small guam
tity of their own land for the purpose
OF growing potatoes.
After visiting the factory building
where the distribution of rations was
taking place we motored TO Sedan.
stopping on the way at the hamlet OF
Bazeilles and visited the cottage
where Bismarck and Emperor Napo-
leon III had their historic interview
after the battle of Sedan.
The old lady who owns this house
received us and showed us bullet
marks made on the house in the war
Of 1870. as well as in the present war
She apologized because she had had
the windowpane, broken by a rife
shot in the present war, replaced on
account OF the cold. As a girl she
had received Bismarck and Napoleon
and had shown them to the room up
stairs where they had held their con-
sultation. In this room l asked her
which chair Bismarck had sat in and
sat in IL myself, for luck. l also con-
tributed to the collection OF gold
pieces given to her by those who had
visited her cottage.
In Sedan we visited an old mill
where stores OF the relief commission
were kept, and in the mayors office
were present at a sort OF consultation
between the Prussian officers and
members of the French committee Of
Sedan in which certain details relative
to the feeding Of the population were
discussed.
Relief Work Carried On.
The relief work is not, of course.
carried on right up to the battle line,
but we visited a small village not
many kilometers in the rear Of the
German line. In this village we were.
as before, shown the stores kept for
distribution by the relief commission
As there were many soldiers in this
village, ! said / thought that these
soldiers must have stores Of their own
but in order to be sure that they were
not living on the supplies OF the relief
commission / thought it only fair that
I should see where their stores were
kept.
] was taken across the railroad
track to where their stores were
kept, and judging from the labels on
tho barrels and boxes. l should say
that a great many had come from
Holland.
During this trip about the country
saw a number OF women and girls
working, or attempting TO work. in
the fields. Their appearance was SO
different from that of the usual peas
ant that / spoke to the accompanying
officers about II.
] was told. however, that these
were the peasants of the locality.
who dressed unusually well in that
part of France. Later on, in Charlie
VILE. at the lodging Of an officer and
with Count Wengersky. who was de
tailed to act as a sort OF Interpreter
and guide to the American Relief
Commission workers, l met the mem