The Elk Mountain pilot., 1918-10-10
.AzZHHHIx/2ED CA25J kQ4fzR A.GGCZzrG RG9TI4lN7zD
\ E6GWX CzZZEx5ZO .IIlz4E G0ZzznG

has examined nearly $4,000. 1 saw $50 little chill.
dren exanhned They ranged in age from three to
twelve years, and OF them all there were barely
more than so per cent whom he could pass as be-
ing fairly well nourshed.
'"rhey have been fed mostly on turnips ana
black bread for months" he explained. "and with
each convoy there more undernourished ones
and more like this little fellow" He indicated a
thin wisp of a boy-he was ten years of nge-it
was tuberculosis.
This explains. furthermore. why the American
Red Cross hospital. as a part of Its war burden
has been obliged extend Its work into the foun-
dation and maintenance of homes, here, there ana
everywhere throughout France, for these unfor-
tunates whom Germany Is sending back by the
hundreds of thousands For they are unable to
work unable to mnke their homes and the
civilian population Of France bent double with
the pack of Its problems. has been increns
ingly poweress to cope with this, Germany's 'n'
sidous effort to break the morale of France
1t was all new to when went up to Evian
from Paris to see the repatriates come In hnd
heard of how Germany had begun sending them
back In 1916, and how the numbers of them In
creased, the American Red Cross stepped in and
undertook to look for the sick children. finally
extending Its work to caring for the hundreds
Of tuherculous women whom Germany returned to
France. But had heard also, of how the repa-
triates, sent through Switzerland by the Germans
arrived ut Evian, singing kneelfng down and KISS
ing the soil Of France and gladly taking up the1H
share of their country's work In factories and on
farms l had looked for a scene OF Joy at the
station there in Evian. for cheer3 and heart-thrlli
at the casino. Here was people being returned
to the country that It belonged to- here were ban.
ners of welcome. here were hands and hearts open
to It, But had something entirely different,
and when inquired 1t was explained to me. 1T
is plainly" told part of the German plan
OF breaking down French morale, OF destroying thes
efficiency of the American Red Cross, which 1t has
learned is doing such large part In the work OF
handling repatrates
AT the same time that Germany is hurting her
big shells into Paris by day and air raidng 1t by
night at the time that she is driving refu-
gees by the thousands from their homes In towns
along the lire of her proposed advance; at the
time she is filling the hospitals with wounded
French and American soldiers. taxing the equip
ment OF the American Red Cross to the limit as
she believes. she has tried new trick during this
offensive.
IF this is not how can it be accounted for
that each succeeding tranload of repatriates II
larger, contains more sick and completely used up
individuals than the previous one? How can you
account for the large number Of young women
with babies born in Germany since they were
taken there-babies whose fathers may be Ger.
man. but whose identity will ever remain mys
tery-which unloaded on us every day?'
Even ut that 1t seemed rather difficult task
These people who coming in-I saw several
trninloads of thern-seemed such hopeless things
What could he done with them? What burden
they would be the French! How little result
there would be from anything done for them OF
with them!
THAT is fur from being the case" was told
"They respond in incredibly short time to all
we do for Them Their health improves. their
minds clear. From being liabilities they soon be
come assets Germany sends these people In
wrecks so cowed so starved. that they can scarce
ly tell where they have been. what has happened
to them in the years of their slavery In the mnes
the mills the fields of their captor country. Tuber
culosis seems to have a firm grip on many OF them
and the children filed with the germs of con-
taCious diseases. But either by happy ability Of
the French to rise under difficulties, or the joy OF
finding themselves back in their own land the
rnpidity with which they rally, the Quickness with
which their minds clear, is remarkable" ..i
French woman. in charge Of the casino yes
tiaire Mt Evan. where clothing is found for these
uufortunntcs said: The more they send, the
better we like 1t. We can care for all. with the
helm OF our friends, the Americans And the faster
they send them back, though their coming so fast
unouestionahiy taxes resources to the utmost
the more quickly Will France get back her own
people