Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-20
MANNED CHILDREN SHOW
sAVAGERY OF WARFARE
FRENCH Child, Victim OF Hun Inva-
sion. Suffers Horrors UnspeakabIe.
Shocked Beyond Recovery.
HEAVEN PLACE THAT'S QUIET
Shattered Nerves OF LittIe Orphans
Demand Removal From Sound OF
Crashing Shells-Frcnch Organi-
cation Cares for Many CrippIcs.

correspondence NJ tn. Associated Press.l
BEHIND THE BRITISH LINES IN
FRANCE, Juno Tho French chill
dren found in the villages OF Northern
France. evacuated by the Germans I'M
der the pressure OF the British and
French offcnsives. present a picture OF
tho savagery OF modern warfare az,
characteristic as tho Sommo forest
shattered and broken by months Of
she'll nrc.
Many Of these children are orphans.
without home or relatives. Many have
been gricvously wounded Most of
them suffer from peculiar species OF
she'll shock which arlicts them gen
orally with sort of trcmor not unlike
st. Fitus's dance.
They have had life and death. nor
rors human and inhuman. revealed to
them in Euises so terrible that they
will never be quite normal again. All
are underfed and -frail from conhne-
ment In cellars.
THEIR IDEA OF HEAVEN
PLACE THAT'IS QUIET
Cut off suddenly from relatives and
friends perhaps two years ago. they
have continued to live within a few
hundred yards Of tho front lines. list
eninE always TO the thud Of shells and
the crash OF explosives. until their Idea
OF heaven is "a place that Is very
quiet"
The condition OF peasant mon and
women who have been living under the
shadow Of the invader through these
long months and years has been bad
enough. but the condition OF the half
starved, wounded and mentally de-
ranged little children has been far
worse. All the children were collected
and shepherded By the first entente
troops into the newly occupied areas.
Everything that can be done 10 cure
and caro- for them is being done. con-
shutting one of the most important
immediate tasks Of the French COM
mittccs on reconstruction. The first
step was to remove them well behind
the front areas. Those who were or
phans were taken far away from the
sight and sound OF shells. many OF them
TO the south OF France.
Tho mldest cases were there put
under the care OF farm mothers The
more serious cases must. OF course. be
Kept under close medical supervision
in special institutions Tho children
taken away from the district. but were
placed on farms nearby where il is
possible for the parents TO visit them
frequently.
HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN
WOUNDED AND MANNED
One French organization has nos
pital with 400 child patients, all under
twelve years Of age. Most Of them are
wounded. Some have lost legs or arms.
Others. their sight. others are suffering
from bra In fever or pulling anacmia
under which they rapidly waste away.
They are the victims OF the ruth
lessness OF modern warfare" said the
head OF the hospital. There is no
better argument against war than TO
sec these mutilated little victims who
VIII never play or enjoy life as other
children do. They are mere shadows
or childhood. 1t is difficult to make
them talk. and they tremblc and start
at any noise or sudden movement
women are always gentle with chill
dren. but with these children We need
special gcntieness, as IL VIC were hand
Inns something more fragile than the
most delicate china"
One OF the patients. five-year- old
boy. who had been rendered dumb from
shell fire. showed no Improvement until
after he had been in the hospital seven
weeks. Then one day nc opened his
e%cs after long sleep and said with a
twisted smile to the nurse: 1T is-vcry
quiet herc-I like it."
Cases like that encourage the nurses
But there are many sadder cases-child
patients whose wounds must Inevitably
prove fatal: patients who. despite every
effort. grow steadily weaker: patients
who are gradually losing their reason,
and whom nothing can save.