The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-19
CHILDREN VICTIMS
Terrible Ravages of War Visit
ed Upon InnOcents.
Many Dumb From Shell Shock;
Hundreds Are MutiIated.
RED CROSS CARING FOR Them
Life and Death With Horrors
Human and Inhuman.
One Hospital Contains 400
Under IL, All Wounded.

Behind the British Line in France,
June 19-CBy the Associated Press
French children found in the viii
lagos of northern France, evacuated
by the Germans under pressure of the
British and French offensives, present
a picture of the savagery of modern
warfare. characteristic as the Somme
forest shattered and broken by months
of shell fire.
Many are orphans without home or
relatives. Others have cen severely
wounded. Most of them suffer from
a peculiar species of shell shock af-
fecting them generally with a sort of
tremor not unlike st. Vitus dance.
They have had life and death with
horrors human and inhuman revealed
TO them in guises so terrible that they
never will be quite normal again. All
are underfed and frail from confine-
ment in cellars. Cut off suddenly from
relatives and friends. perhaps two
years ago, they have continue to live
within few hundred yards of the
front lines. listening always to the
thunder of shells and to the crash
of explosives until their idea of heav-
en- is place that is very quiet"
Children's Plight Worse.
The ondition of the peasant men
and women who have been living I'M
der the shadow of the invader thru
these long years s bad enough but the
plight of the half-starved, wounded
and mentally deranged little children
has been far worse.
All Of them were collected and
shepherded by the first entente troops
in newly occupied areas. Everything
that can be done for their cure and
care is now being done. The first
step was to remove them well behind
the front areas. Those who were
orphans were taken far away from
tho sight and sound of shells, many
to the south of France. The mildest
cases were there put under the care
of farm mothers. The more serious
must of course be kept under close
medical supervision in special institu
tons.
Children who were not orphans
were not usually taken away from the
districts. One French organization
has a hospital with 400 child patients
all under twelve years of age. Most
of them are wounded. Some have
lost legs or arms or their sight while
others are suffering from brain fever
or a puzzling anaemia under which
they rapidly waste away
They are victims of the ruthless
ness of modern warfare" said the
head of the hospital, a French woman
wearing the uniform of the French
Red Cross.
Argument Against War.
There is no better argument
against war than to see these mutilat
ed little victims who never will play
or enjoy life other children do.
They are mere shadows. 1t is diff
cult to make them talk and they trem-
BILE and start at any noise or sudden
movement. Women are always gentle
with children but with these children
we need special gentleness as if we
were handling something more fragile
one of the patients, a five-year-
boy who had been rende red dumb
from shell shock, showed no improve
| ment until after he had been in the
hospital for several weeks Then one
day he opened his eyes after long
sleep and said with a twisted smile
TO the nurse:
Tat \,