Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1917-12-13
By W. S. FORREST
(ManaEer Paris Office, United Press)

Toul, France, Nov. 15-(By Mail)
-Salvaging the shattered nerves and
little bodies of French children res
cued literally from the mouths Of the
enemy cannon was part Of the man.
moth Red Cross work in France, wit
messed by the United Press here to-
day.
If American mothers could see how
their hard American dollars are be-
ing spent among the war battered
children of France they would doubly
subscribe at the very next opportun-
ity. This is the first account written
and sent to America Of how these
American dollars are pulling French
babies out of living hell and filling
their impressionistic little minds with
something better to think about than
constant fear, pinching hunger and q
life among vermin and filth.
More than 500 Of these French
babies are today safely out Of reach
of the German shells which for three
years have been ploughing and pull
verifying the villages and towns where
they lived. Their ages run from two
to ten years. The greatest 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 maliciously threw
into their vicinity.
When the Germans began to throw
gas shells into these villages, the
French authorities realized that the
children of tender age must be moved
to safety. So those too young to adj
lust 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 1t
found DR.. Julius Parker Sedgwick,
the best known specialist on child
ren's diseases in the North West. DR..
Sedgwick agreed to give up his work
and come to France to care for the
French children. His acceptance pre-
coded only by few hours long dis
lance telephone conversation with DR..
]. /. Durand at Seattle, also leading
children's specialist. He agreed in q
few hours to give up his extensive
practice and leave for France. Also
from Minneapolis came DR.. N. o.
Pearce, associated with DR.. Sedgwick.
AS the trio travelled toward France
they were Joined at Chicago by DR..
Alice Brown, of Winnetka. Accom-
paning them came experienced nurses
among whom were Mrs. Delebeque, Of
Winnetka, and Miss Bessie Spanner
East 6Oth street, Cleveland.
Headed by DR.. Sedgwick, these
American doctors and nurses are
fatheuing 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 q few
miles away from the present camp
under the German shells and gas has
yet been too much for the American
doctors and nurses. Every child 30
far brought to the camp il alive to-
day and happy, thanks to mothers in
America. For it 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
mothers still back in the caves, un-
dergoing the German shells and the
gas, is that q German aeroplane
might come along and bomb the baby
hospital, Dr.. Sedgwick told the
United Press today. Otherwise they
are content to tale their lot until the
end Of the war. Their babies are
safe.
So far the big Red cro6S painted