Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1918-10-17
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has examined nearly 10000. I saw $50 little cllF
irpn examined. They ranged in age from three "
yelve years. and of them all there were barely
nore than 80 per cent whom he coulu pass "S ,"
ny even fairly well nonrlshed.
"They have been fci mostly on tufnlps anu
black bread for months he explained. ana WITH
eoch convoy there are more unhernouriSlied ones
and more like his little fellow" He indicated Il
thin wisp of Il boyle was ten years or age--i'
was tuberculosis.
This explains, furthermore, why the Alneric"h
Red Cross hospital, as n part OF It's war eulnen'
has been obliged to extend its work into the 1ou',
dntion and maintenance of homes, here, there anu
everywhere throughout France. for these uhiof-
t,uateS whom Germany Is sending back ny lhe
hundreds of thousands. For they are unable 10
work. ,natlc 10 make their own hoItes' ana 'e
civilian population of France, bent double with
tho noel; Of lis own problems, has been incre's-
lnr,v powcrless to cope with this, Germany's M
s;di,,rs effort to break the morale of France.
If was a!I new to me when l went up to EVlah
from Paris TO see the repatrintes come in. l na'
heard Of how Germany had begun senulns them
back in l9ti, and how, as the numbers OF them III.
creased. the American Red Cross stepped ID al"
undertook to look ont Tor the Sick children, hnailF
extending lis work to caring Tor the nUInfeuS
If tuherculous women whom Germany returned 10
France. But I had heard, also, OF how the fepa-
triatoS, seut through Switzerland by the Germans
arrived 1T Evian singing, kheeling down and KISS
ing the soil of France and gladly taking up their
share of their %country's work in factories ana on
farms. | had looked for a scene OF JOY at me
station there in Eviau, for cheers and heart-thrlilS
at the casino. Here was a people being returned
TO the country that 1t belonged to here were pan
uers Of welcome, here were hands ana hearts open
to 1t. But | had seen something entirely different
and when | inquired it was explained to me. III
Is plainly | was told. part of the German plah
Of breaking down French morale, of destroying inc
efficiency Of the American Red Cross. which 1t has
learned is doing such a large part IN the work Oh
handling repafriates.
"At the same time that Germany is hurting mel
big shells into Paris by day and air ralding 1t b!
night at the same time that she Is driving relu
gees BY the thousands from their homes IN towns
along the line of her proposed advance; at tn
same time She is filling the hospitals with wounded
French and American soldiers, taxing the equip
ment Of the American Red Cross to the limit, a
she believes, she has tried n new trick during TIL
offensive.
"f this is not so, how can 1t be accounted 10
that each succeeding trainload OF fepatriates !
larger, contains more sick and completely USED VI
individuals than The previous oncF HOW can !o'
account for the large number or young WoTe'
with babies born In GeTIl'h! slitt the' WI
,oter there-babies whose fathers may be Gel
man. hut whose identity will ever remain n my
tery--which are unlonded on us every day.!
Even at that 1t seemed rather a difficult thss
These people who were coming in--l saw sewers
tro,nloods OF them--scemeh such hopeless thlns
what cou,d be done with them! What Il burde
,bev would be on the French. How little resu
thcre would be from anything done for them {
with them!
"Thot Is fur from being the case" | was 'WI
.They respond In an incredibly short time TO Il
,n do for them. Their health improves, the
minds clear. From being Liabilities they soon D
c,no ossets. Germany sends these people ]
wrecks. so cowed, so starved, that they can scare
~ toll where they have been, what has happen'
~ t,,om IN the years Of their slavery In the mine
no mills. the fields Of their cnptor country. TUBE
n,,,os,s seems TO have n firm grip 81, many OF thes
,na Tho children are filed with the germs OF co
.n.,,,s diseases. But either by happy ability
lie trrench 10 rise under difficulties, or the Joy
ard,ry themselves back IN their own land' u
ropidity with which they rally, the quicGness WI
,.,,c,, the,r minds clcnr. IL remarkable"
Frenc,, woman. In charge Of the casino W
t,,re vt Ey,nn. where clothing Is found FOR the
,,eor,unates, said. "The more they SEND =
ho,tor wc like 1t. We Gun care for ALL WIN !
hain of our friends. the Americans, And the fas'
,hav send them back. though their coming ~ II
wncuestionnhly taxes our resources to the utno
~ more quickly Will France yet back nor o
people"