New Britain herald., 1918-06-12
HELP FOR THOSE IN DEVASTATED FRANCE
U. s. Civilian Volunteers Assist
 Fleeing Peasants

France since the evacuation of French villages during the recent drive IS from Anne Dike, director of the work in France. The letter follows:
 Le Comite Americain pour les Pays Devastes.
 Zone des Armees, Easter Sunday. (Formerly Civilian Committee for the American Fund for French Wounded) To the Committees in America:
 What can I tell you that would most interest our friends of the terri ble events which have taken place here in the last ten days? It would be impossible to give you any adequate description of what has happened; I can only touch the high lights. For the first three weeks of March we had magnificent f1no weather, we lived on the qui viVe for the German offensive, and as the days prolonged into weeks, we somehow began to accept the idea that the pour-parlers for peace> were on the tapis-and then suddenly came the doWnpOur. The afternoon of Tuesday, the 18th went to T-- to open an enormous British hospital at the invitation of the Army Corps headquarters As their region ad- joined ours, and we had established very good relations with them in the
 
 with the French army, I accepted the honor Today that hospital (which was so splendidly prepared for the of fensive in the Chateau of T---) is now being shelled. How they got out cannot imagine. One meets here and there various members of the hos pital staff too desperately busy, work ing under awful conditions and strain, with a most heartrending expression in the eyes.
 On Wednesday, night, at 10 o'clock, we heard the barrage within a few miles. For several days we had had heavy fog night and morning, with a clear sky at noon, and undoubtedly the Germans had made all their Observa- tions, and under cover of the fog brought their men and guns into po- sition. The next morning the guns were so near, and the rumOrs so dis turbing We decided to go into that region where we had several small will lages under our protection and help in the evacuation of the civilians. We got out all the children first and brought them to our dispensary. Later the parents came to the chateau for refuge. We took care of them over night, making more and more space for refugees in our cellars. and by Fri day night we had 68 living with us. We had meals to prepare, luggage to sort, all the children of these and oth- CT villages to care for: then suddenly began the quick evacuation of other villages than our own, and we were swamped with work; it was harrow ing. It was time to send off some of our older refugees; then an eXtraor- dinary thing happened The parents {o al1; !, a mark of confidence has probably never been given before. We sent off the parents to the interior of the Disc, and by that night all the children, with two of our members to look after them, and a. refugee who could cook, were sent to the farm; from there they left the next morning for Vlllers Cotterets. It was a big responsibility T could not have believed that French women would consent to be separated from their babies but they had all known the horrors of a previ- ous evacuation and they trusted us to save their children another such ex- perience. Saturday and Sunday were appalling days. Palm Sunday, few who could be spared with the refugees went to church to pray for victory, the guns still roaring, the church full of
 
 day night, every member of the unit, with the exception of two, were sent to a place of safety. Monday two of us received and fed 200 refugees still waiting for camions to carry them back. The Red Cross was doing all In it's power to give us the necessary transportation. I can never describe the awful tension of those hours while we waited for the cars. Then the great French army sent us ten cam- ions. It was late in the evening" we helped the people in, and implored them to be separated from the few goods and chattels the poor things wished to carry, and they left with our promises to take them "some day soon." About midnight the Red Cross cars arrived. We rapidly put into them some of the valuable stores we knew might be required-soup, milk, flour and sugar especially; also blan- kets and mattresses. We did not know what to expect. It was a wild night: the Germans were reported as coming, and coming fast-were the French and English holding? Would our beloved center fall into the hands of the enemy? We could not think: we had to work, and we did until morning. Then came a sudden call from the French headquarters asking the last two members to move a little further back, but to wait there until further orders. We were treasured that the great French army had stemmed the advance In our direction, but that We must move. Two of our French workmen, the mason and plumber, who have helped us for eight months to restore some order in this long-suffering Aisne. refused to leave the chateau, and remained. and still remain as guardians until we have authorization to return. Tn the last few days events have taken a bet