The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-01-26
DOING MUCH TO
RESTORE FRANCE
Americans Are Doing Wonderful
Reconstruction in Devas-
tated Section.
LIVE IN RUDE BARRACKS
Miss Anne Morgan and Her Co-WorIe.
ers Share in Primitive Life While
Carrying on Labors Among
Destitute People.

New York.-Miss Margaret Stevei
son, co-worker Of Miss Anne Morgan
devastated France has Just arrived
this country with the first direct new
of the reconstruction work already az
complished by this American Fund 70
French Wounded unit composed Of tel
American women. Miss Stevenson toll
of the ~ villages they have partly re
habilitated, of the 5000 acres of LAM
they have had cultivated, the hundreds
Of refugee families they have clothed
fed and installed in houses they hav'
furnished; the classes they are running
for children who have run wild since
the beginning of the German Occupa
ton, and Of the community center they
have established at Blerancourt, in the
heart Of the ravaged region.
Live In Rude Barracks.
I'VE are living in rude wooden bar
racks built on the ruins Of the old
| Chateau Of Blerancourt," said Miss
Stevenson. "Our barracks are fur
| nished with the same implanted fur
| niture and plain iron beds that we
give to the peasants. The heads Of
our unit, Miss Anne Morgan and Miss
Anne Drake, share with us in this
primitive life. They are up at seven
o'clock in the morning, tidy up their
huts, help with the dishes, and then
are off about their duties, visiting the
refugees, finding out their wants and
helping install them in temporary
shelters. Both Miss Morgan and Miss
Dixie speak French as well as they do
English, and they have entered deeply
into the lives of the people. Some
thing approaching normal village life
has been restored to the communities
under the care of the American Fund
Unit" Miss Stevenson says. "The
French government has placed this
unit in charge of the Aisne and Som
me districts, both of which were sys-
devastated by the Ger
mans.
sour unit is militarized and works
directly under the French army"
Miss Stevenson explained. Through !
the military authorities Miss Morgan
has, obtained valuable aid. Soldiers
on eight-day leave from the trenches
are put, under her direction, to help
rebuild shattered homes and pillow the
neglected fields. There are no able
bodied men or women left in this part
IF France. When the Germans re-
-reated they swept the civilians before
hem. All who were able to work for
hem they kept behind their lines; the
OnprOducers-that is, the feeble old
people and the small children-they
lave. allowed to return. These are the
'efugees, the people we have to help
make homes for and make self-support-
ng.
Wonderful People.
''They are wonderful too, these old
'eople," Miss Stevenson went on.
They return to their destroyed homes
worm out with suffering and hardships, !,
ut no sooner are they on their beloved
oil again than they seem revitalized,
lied with energy, and the desire to re-
tore all that has been destroyed. They
uild one-room shelters for themselves
rom the ruins Of their once comfort
BILE homes or else their government
uts up small demountable wooden
ouses for them. These we furnish
18th everything they need to start
ONE life anew-beds, bedding, chairs,
itchen utensils, and we supply them
18th clothing and foodstuffs. Every
hing that is sent to us from America I
ryiu with n11f hut hn
owes and kitchen utensils that we
ny in Paris we sell for two-thirds. the
ost. They prefer to have it so, and :
ley pay any way they choose-in z
ork or vegetables. The first thing
ley do when they reach their homes
to start garden, and many of them
ave been able to support themselves
lis way. Others make their living by
ASKING for the soldiers. These are
very old people, remember, aged
en- and women Of seventy-ive and E
7en eighty. They walk from villages
lies away to get help from us, and
ey wheel great loads % supplies on
heelbarroWs some eight or ten miles :
'er coDble roads.
''IheSe old people who nave worked :
I'D and denied themselves all their =
res SO they would have a competency
their old age have to begin life again
tn nothing but their stiff old hands
d their courageous hearts. They all :
greet now that they didn't have lit
, more fun out Of life when they
ire younger, that they had not put S,
ease and comfort until their old
e. But they do not complain; they
st dig in and work harder than ever
make a home for the sons and =
lighters who may come back at the
d of the war, or at least for the :