The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-03-13
0uAKERS SEND
1856 WOMEN AND
men TO FRANCE
Join with English Friends in
Reconstruction of Devas-
tated French Homes.

LoANbo MdTCU lo.-l lie CcSicNy
OF Friends in America, realizing that
its UNCONVENTIONAL life is a great re-
source. which should be utilized to
the full at the present crisis in the
worlds history, has Joined hands with
the English Friends and the American
Red Cross in relief and reconstruction
work in the war zone in Europe. In
the last six months they have &C
complshed a great work.
Families in the devastated areas
are being aided in almost every con-
ceivable way from being equipped
with spectacles with which they may
read the papers and so keep in touch
with the progress of the war, to being
supplied with temporary houses to
shelter them. The small group OF
English Friends distributed SO, SO
gifts of clothing and household articles
in the first thirty months of service
and have done relief work of various
kinds in more than 500 villages.
American Friends in War Zone.
In the first six months the American
Society of Friends has accomplished
much. One hundred and sixteen men
and twenty women have been sent to
France. and arrangements made to
send seventy other men. Six women
workers are in Russia and a call has
come for nine others who will also be
sent. Four hundred communities VI
Friends. representing every yearly
meeting on the American continent,
have provided funds for the work.
Two hundred and thirty thousand dol
lars have been contributed and obi
cations Of $350,000 incurred for the
work already undertaken for the next
fiscal year. In 100 communities wom-
en- are sewing and knitting garments
for French, Belgian, Russian and SerV-
ian relief. An invaluable connection
with the American Red Cross has been
formed and the workers in France
form a vital part of that organization,
having the title, Bureau Of Friends
Unit of the Department OF Civil AT
fairs"
The English Friends. through three
years of service, has had the greatest
experience. is most respected by the
French Government, and most beloved
by the French people Of any war relief
agency. II is with this body that the
Amrican Society OF Friends has
merged for war work under the title
ciete des Amis. This joint work, in
turn, has been made a Bureau of the
American Red Cross, and all Of the
American workers become part Of
the Red Cross at the time Of their
acceptance on the unit
Following is a quotation from the
American Red Cross European publ
cations
n.t,, I,-1
Quakers have been the largest pri-
vate operators in pioneers in recon
struction work in the devasted re-
gions winning the most
cordial appreciation of the French au-
thorities and putting the results of
three years of experience at the serv
ice of the American Red Cross. The
American Friends Unit has become
a Bureau OF the Department Of Civil
Affairs of the American Red Cross"
Including both English and Ameri-
cans, the Friends Unit now comprises
213 men and 95 women. They hope
ultimately to send several hundred
additional Americans.
Friends Unit Work Of Reconstruction
The Quaker workers in the war
zone are engaged in four kinds of
service reconstruction, agriculture,
relief and hospital service. The re-
construction work consists of making
the destroyed villages habitable in the
region of the Somme. Fourteen vii
lagos, such as Gruny. which were not
completely destroyed, are being re-
paired by the Quakers. In others, as.
for instance. Tugny. where nothing
ha
are building portable houses to which
the refugees can return and establish
once more the hearths around which
to reconstruct their family life.
These homes are manufactured In
sections at two factories conducted by
the Society of Friends. at Dole and at
Ornans in the Jura Mountain region.
The lumber is donated by the French
government The two factories have
an output Of about fifteen houses a
week Other factories will be estab-
lished as needed
An agricultural center is being
maintained by the English Friends
a. Sermaize, in the region OF the
Marine Here the equipment consists
of $50 moving machines, AZ reapers
and binders and ten threshing ma
chimes. together with other imple-
ments and tools. Recently new cen
tiers have been established at Golan-
court and Gruny, in the Somme re
gion, and a fourth center is in pros
pect Seeds rabbits, chickens, goats
and garden tools have been distribut-
ed in large numbers.
Relief Work Among Wars Refugees
Outside the devastated regions
thousands of refugees, whose homes
are in regions not yet evacuated. are
crowded into the towns and cities of
central France under sadly congested
conditions Social work of all kinds,
including district nursing, is being car
ried on in a number of cities and vii
lagos with the important centers at
Chalons, Bar-le- Due, Sermaize, Troyes
Nitry-le- Francois and Paris. The ex-
tent of this work is indicated by the
fact that the small group of English
Friends distributed 33.159 gifts of
clothing and household articles In the
first thirty months of service, and have
done relief work OF various kinds in
more than 800 villages.
The English Friends have maintain