The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1918-04-09
RICHMOND Relief
WORKERS SAFE
IN BATTLE Zone
Leland 7. Hadley and A. W:
Jenkins Were in Regions OF
Somme and Aisne.

NEW YORK. April. s.--vincent D.
Nicholson, Executive Secretary OF the
American Friends Service Committee,
received a cable message yesterday
from Charles Evans. Chief of the Blu.
reau of the Friends Unit OF the Ameri.
can Red Cross in France. announcing
the safety Of the unit. fifty members
OF which were in the region OF the
great battle. at Ham, Liancourt. Es-
merry -Hallon, Golancourt and Gruny on
the Somme and Aisne. The message
read:
"Whole unit safe. Redistribution OF
fresh fields of work going on. Unus.
ual devotion shown by both men and
women workers Of the unit"
The work of the Friends unit had
been little affected by the German Of
fensive, Mr.. Nicholson said.
"Only fifty out OF $50 workers were
engaged in this region" he added.
while the largest work OF the FRIENDS
unit ia done in the region of the Marne
considerably to the east Of the German
drive. In a part OF this region, where
almost no reconstruction work has yet
been undertaken, the Friends have
been urgently asked by the French
authorities to assume entire charge OF
the work"
Red Cross Gave Aid
J. Henry Scattergood. who spent hve
months In France last year as q repre-.
! sentative OF the American Friends
| unit and as q member OF the American
Red Cross Commission to France,
! said:
I'VE rejoice in the cabled advices
from our representatives and from
other agencies that all OF our workers
in the Somme region as well as those
, from the Smith College unit and other
relief organizations are safe. Many
1 Red Cross trucks were rushed to their
help, and made possible a much cas-
Ter journey than would have been
made earlier in the war.
AS to actual loss, the French peo.
ple themselves have been the real
sufferers. Our hearts go out to these
poor souls who. after making brave
effort to get fresh start, are no"
once more forced out OF their homes.
Fortunately their number is compara-
lively small. because probably not
more than 20 per cent. OF all the pop.
ulation OF this previously destroyed
district had found 1t possible to re-
turn. This was especially true in the
Villages within six miles OF the front
occupied before this drive, where nc
civilians at all had been enabled ia
return. The same applies to the old
No Mans Land region, several miles
wide, where the hghting continued
for two and a half years.
I'VE are thaakful that our workers
were in a position to aid these newl,
stricken French people, and that this
and other opportunities for immediate
service make 1t all the more incum
bent on sympathetic Americans to eX
tend the much needed help. The
French government had 100 tractor
plows At work on the newly stricker
lands last Autumn, and had planned
for 400. 1t Is likely that all thes:
have been lost, Our own unit ha:
probably lost two tractor plows ant
other agricultural material in the twt
new farm centers there. Others, sucl
as the Smith College unit in Vile
entertainment, have probably beer
able to escape with comparatively lit
tie loss.
Lost Three Warehouses.
The American Fund for Frencl
Wounded civil branch in Blerancour
has probably suffered much NOR
heavily on account Of the more pei
manent character Of their plant. Th'
greatest actual loss Of any relic
organization has probably been tina
OF the American Red Cross itself
which had at least three large ware
houses in the recaptured regions
The following members OF tn
Friends Unit, coming from all part
of the United States, were engaged II
work In the regions OF the Somm
and Aisne:
Brown, z. L., Moorestown, N. ].
Brown, Sidney f., indianapolis. Inc
Downing, George ", Elsmere, Del.
Hinshaw, d. Hainer, Emporia. Kar
Lamb, e. Wandell, Amboy. Ind.
Parnel, Chas. T.. Los Angeles, Ca
Preston, E. c., Fallston, Md.
laincourt.
Elliott, Meade G., Newberg, Ore.
Marshall. f. Howard, Union, Iowa
and Whittier, Cal.
Esmery.Haiion.
Chambers, Elliott p. Pasadena, Ca
Mesner, Raymond D., Central Cit!
Neb.
Meyers, Harold. Central City. Mel
Stevens, ID. O., Moylan, Penn.
GoIaneourt.
Darling, b. A., Newberg. Ore.
= Hood. Harold D., West Chester, P'
Gruny.
Calver, l.. S.. Selma. Ohio.
Chawner, Lowell j., Pasadena, Ca
Dunn, George s.. Philadelphia. P'
Greist, Ellwood, Lititz. Pa.