The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-12-27
COMMUNITY
FARMING TO
Be TAUGHT
TO FRENCH
Friends Unit Solving Problem
of Turning She'll Torn
Fields Into Farm Land, Says
Nicholson.
CENTURY TO REBUILD

The centralized and intensive work
to be done by the Friends Unit Of
the American Red Cross in section
of France known as the Verdun dis
trict was explained last night in an
interview by Vincent Nicholson, form
erly of this city, now a Philadelphia
lawyer. and since May, 1917, head Of
the Friends reconstruction in the
United States. Mr.. Nicholson was In
the city over the holidays, and to bid
his parents. Mr. and Mrs Edgar Mich
olson of South West A street good
bye, prior to sailing for France, for
nine months service with the Friends
Unite there. He left Richmond
Thursday evening, and will sail
week from today.
He said he would probably be in
the Paris of1ce, although he would not
know definitely until arriving on the
field.
Our work during the past two
years has by necessity been confined
great deal to refugee and canteen
service. We were asked two years
ago to do reconstruction in the Yer
dun district which We will now occupy
and this was tried, but the line of bat
tie so continually changed that 1t was
impossible to do any permanent work
Rehousing Question.
Our present and future work now
will be divided into a number of di-
visions, and will be confined to a dis
trict outside the city of Verdun. in
cluding forty villages an dtowns, one
half OF which have been comparative
ly destroyed. The 400 or 500 Friends
workers and the 8 to 10 new workers,
who will be going over every week for
the next six months will be concen-
trated in this region to a work a sys-
tematic and intensive course of re-
construction for the rehabilitation and
re-enspiriting of the people. The
bringing ogether the energy Of the en-
tire unit In this district which has
been until recently behind the German
lines will give the work distinction
and pracffcability which could not be
secured. on = less concentrated sale"
Mr.. Nicholson said
In explaining the divisions Of the
work Nicholson said, "It will include
first the re-housing Of the people
About 5000 portable houses will be
placed by. the Friends unit The re-
storing Of household and agricultural
goods will follow. and surrounding the
material york there must be new So
cial and economic conditions.
THE shipping of the portable hous-
es brings up serious problem. name
ly the shipping problem. This can
not be easily met as the demand for
shipping room is immense at the pres
ent time. Some of the houses will be
shipped from this country, however.
If it Is found possible to send them
across
Sell Material Below Cost
Agricultural implements and house
hold goods will be brought into the
district and sold to the people at three
fourths cost. 1t has been found to be
better this way as the people are
proud in nature and do not understand
charity. They much prefer to pay. and
by doing 1t in that way we will not
only abide by their feelings but also
probably be able to carry on our work
longer and better, with the small funds
turned back by them. Although the
people have a small government in
come with which they will in most
cases pay for the remaking Of their
homes. 1t is remarkable the saving
they have carried with them as refu
gees and managed in keeping, SO work
ers have told me. Those who have
not received their government allot-
ments and wish to pay. will simply
be charged with the amount and then
we will collect from the government"
Farming units for the instruction
Of the people and the cultivation of
the land will be operated, Mr. Nichol-
son explained. and the people will be
taught to use and maintain numberless
farm implements which will be given
them in many cases. Thrashers. trac-
tors, ploughs--all kinds of agricultural
needs will be supplied.
AN experimental farm of 500 acres
has been started and will be used as a
laboratory for ascertaining what is
the best thing for the people to raise:
the making over OF the ground; and its
cultivation Stock raising. etc, will
also be thoroughly experimented with.
A country which has lost all its stock.
has been overrun with trenches, weeds
and shell holes. needs some re-making
and this Will be one of the big prob
lems," he explained.
Wholesale Crop Production
Then. too. comes the problem of
of things" continued Mr. Nicholson
"The small, personal and independent
farming, and living of the people here
tofor cannot be persued now success
fully, at least until living is again as
sured The hundreds OF small farms
now indestinctly boundaried will be
thrown open by our workers. Hun
dreds of acres will be ploughed up to-
gether. and wholesale crops raised
and thrashed. The crops will be equal
" distributed. and eventually the legal
boundaries will be made. 1t is i'm
possible now to ascertain just what
each man owns. Great and greater CO.
operation will be necessary. and the
people are not without ability to learn
to work together although they may
not have followed such course before
in their daily life.'
"rhe actual reconstruction Of even
xht. vordun district will take af leae.