The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-09-27
u. s. Red Cross
Well Assisted
Belgium Labor Utilized in Much OF the
Activities OF The Organization On
European War Front.
BY Robert j. Prev.
Il. n. S. staff Correspondent


Cross in reconstruction work in the
devastated region of France from
which the Germans withdrew last
March to the Hindenberg line The
employment of Belgian laborers and
artisans by the American authori-
ties solves two grave problems, the
first being that of obtaining men in
a country where every one is either
in the trenches of employed in NUM-
tions making, and the second being
that of providing employment for
Belgian refugees in France.
Part of the huge fund subscribed
in the United States to aid France is
being used in rebuilding French
cities and towns destroyed by the in
vaders The American Red Cross /
Executive Committee headed by Ma
ior Grayson p. Murphy, who is at
tached to General Pershing's staff, is
directing the work
When the committee went to the .
French government and announced |
1T had millions of dollars to spend in .
reconstructing the devastated re-
gions it asked for a certain amount
of labor-about 300 French artisans
10 begin with
Louis Malvy. minister of the Inter
Tor, threw up his hands. There were
not 300 able-bodied Frenchmen avail |
able for that work. Frances man
hood was in the trenches or just be-
hind the line, and every man that
could be spared from fighting was
engaged in making guns, shells and
ships or in filling the soil that France
might not be starved by the subma
line campaign.
But what are we to do? We must
nave men to perform the work We
have the money, but it is useless
without labor" said Major Murphy
Perhaps you could use Annamites,"
suggested NJ. Malvy.
Annamites are the natives of the
French colony in Indo-China. They
are MongOls of slight stature like
Japanese, and they have been extern
sively used as skilled labor in French
factories since the war They have
proved particularly adept in manu-
featuring aeroplane motors, where
their painstakingness and thorough
ness in details has enabled them to
compete with the highest class skilled
French labor in making delicate parts. |
Major Murphy investigated the
proposition of employing Annamites, |
but soon learned from French army
that they are useless doing outdoor |
work in winter. AS long as they
can be kept indoors in warm factory
buildings they stand the cold climate
fairly well, but are unable to stand |
The rigors of outdoors. AS the re
construction work would not be going
full swing before September or Oc-
tOber, and was to continue at high |
pressure all winter, Major Murphy |
was forced to discard the proposition |
OF utilizing Annamites.
The only alternative the French |
authorities could suggest was that
American labor be transported from
The United States. Very little investi-
cation proved that this was not feas-
ible, because of the lack of bottoms
and the need of every available ship
for carrying troops, provisions and
lmnnitiOns.
Finally Louis Chevrillon, secretary
OF the Belgian Relief Commission in
Paris, solved the problem He offered, |
through several skilled mechanics who !
had worked in Brussels before the
war and who had fled before the
Kaiser's invading legions, to supply |
300 Belgian labOrers and skilled work |
.ers in two weeks and to have 500 in |
A month
These Belgians are available be-
cause many exemptions have been
granted to young men of military age
who have lost fathers and brothers in
the Belgian army. This leniency eX-
ISIS because the Allied Powers realize
how Belgium's manhood has been bled
white and that it is necessary to con-
serve some of the men of 'the bantam
kingdom" to repOpulate it when the in
vaders withdraw
AS a result there are many Belgian
refugees scattered throughout France,
subsisting on charity in many cases.
They have gone through so many pri
vations that their ambition is dead.
and with their women folks sold into
slavery in Germany and their men
folk killed or manned in battle, they
nave no incentive to try to find en-
Dloyment in a strange land
These men are being rounded up by
half a dozen energetic Belgian labor
leaders from Paris, who themselves
held trusted situations in the facto-
ries of Antwerp, Brussels and Liege.
Instead of waiting for their country
men to seek positions, they are offer
ing work to them and guaranteeing
that the Belgians will work together
and not be mixed with French or
other labor.
In less than a week NJ Chevrillons
lieutenants recruited over 120 Belgian
Iaborers and skilled artisans, and in
two weeks they had almost obtained
the first 300. The Belgians are paid
nineteen cents an hour, which is the
standard wage today in France, and
must feed and house themselves. Usu-
ally the cost of housing will be nil,
however as there are annie billetS
for workmen as well as for troops in
most of the ruined villages behind the
lines.
French authorities are highly pleas
ed at the action of the American Red
Cross in offering employment to the
unhappy refugees, most of whom
have been doubly miserable because
of their idleness and constant brood
inc nuar thnit trnnhlns. II is nsti-