The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-16

About two hundred people sat down
to a luncheon for the patrons of the
local society of benefactors of the
Father!ess Children OF France. The
banquet was held at the Pelletier tea
room. and after luncheon addresses
were made by Bishop James Wise.
Governor Arthur Capper. Mrs. ]. c.
McClintock, Mrs. Bennett r. Wheeler
and Mr.. Walter A. Johnson.
Mrs. S. s. Estey presided at the
meeting and introduced the speakers
MIS-. McClintock, chairman of the
committee. told of the work beng
done in this city and state. I'VE have
placed thru our committee about 213
orphans" she said, land America thru
its national society. has taken care of
3S, of these children. There are
still upwards of 100000 to be looked
after
Bishop Wise has lately returned
from New York. where he interviewed
the officers of the national society in
charge of the work in America. Il
am proud" he said, "to be the spokes-
man on this occasion for this great
and glorious army of helpless children
this army that cannot now speak
Tor itself but which, thru our efforts,
is to be made articulate. The indie
pendent. self reliant spirit of the
French people makes it impossible for
them to accept aims, and our contri-
button to the care of the nations lit
tie ones is not almsgiving-it is the
payment of a debt that we have long
been owing. 1t is likewise the pay
ment of a debt renewed by the sacri-
nce of the lives of Frenchmen who
have died and are dying to preserve,
with us, the ideals of freedom" The
bishop -ead from some papers which
gave an account of a meeting on
Christmas Eve in Paris, in the inter-
ests of the society. The excerpts from
the French papers went to show the
deep gratitude which the French peo-
pie feel for the financial assistance
the interest and good fellowship of
the american people, who are giving
thtm help thru the care of the chill
dren. This work will help, when the
war Is over, to bind together all the
peoples in a final sense of brother
MOOD. when we will hope for the
and all nations"
Governor Capper spoke of his meet
ing with Marshal Joffre at the time
or the French's commissions visit in
Kansas City, when he sat next to the
great French commander at dinner.
AT that time Joffre spoke especially
of the nobleness of the French women
ana the suffering of their children, so
braNeiy endured Wiretapper gave as his
opinion of the benefits to come out of
the war. the fall of royalties and an
end to the silly American craze for
rank that led American heiresses to ex-
change their fortunes Tor titles.
America has been passing the hat
long enough for dukes and barons,'
he said. AT the close of his address
he asked the treasurer to add to his
subscription an amount sufficient to
pay the allotment for an orphan for
mis- wife and one for each of his two
sisters.
Mrs. Wheeler gave a report of her
work as treasurer of the local society
during the ten months past, of the SO
ciety's existence in this city. The
amount she has paid out is upwards
OF six thousand dollars and 213 chill
dren have been adopted This money is
sent to headquarters in New York, and
is Cabled from there to the French
headquarters in Paris. She explained
that any difficulty that Americans had
had in receiving word from their or
phans was due to the loss of lists on
boats sunk in transportation, but that
the money was duly received and used
for the children, and that the diff
Guilty would be adjusted in a short
time. Every cent of the money sub
scribed goes direct to the children for
whom it is given, and the workers sup
ply their own postage, work without
salary and pay all expenses connected
with the conduct of the society.
Mr.. johnson assured his audience
that there was no duplication of char
ity in the handling of the French
Orphan work, and that the society
did not at any point conflict with the
work undertaken by the Red Cross
Mrs Chester Woodward, who has
adop, ed an orphan. was asked to tell
something of her experience as fos-
ter parent. She gave an interesting
account of her correspondence with
the child, described her appearance,
and spoke Of the strong tie of affec-
ton that already existed between her
IA mily and the little girl they are
helping.
Mrs H. O. Carney was also asked
to speak. and she dwelt upon the feel
ing OF parental love that may exist
betwee-- the French children and their
benefactors. and added to that few
words in praise of the brotherliness
that was taking the American young
men abroad tc give their lives with
their French comrades for the protec-
ton Of both nations.
Mrs. Estey closed the meeting with
remarks on the debt of this nation to
France. She said: when the enemy
was advancing toward Paris. the
French commander ordered that the
French army hold the line or die in
their places. Because hundred thou
sand Frenchmen died in their places,
England. and trusting
America were saved from the invader.
We are trying to pay a debt to the
100000 children that those French
fathers left in the way that they would